3 teens rescued after being swept away at Jamestown Beach
Ferry crew pull swimmers from rough James River
JAMES CITY COUNTY — The water was rough and the tidal James River was ebbing into the Chesapeake Bay when three teenagers were rescued from the water Friday.
The James City County Fire Department got the emergency call for struggling swimmers at Jamestown Beach around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 14, according to fire department spokesman Al Catlett.
A typical response for the fire department brings about a half dozen pieces of emergency equipment, Catlett said, but by the time the crews arrived the teenagers had made it to the ferry boat terminal pilings.
That’s when the ferry crew kicked into action. Shipmate Nathan Bradley tossed a life ring to a swimmer and helped the teen to shore as captain Reggie Kirton helped pull the boy in, according to the captain’s rescue report.
The captain’s log noted they began the rescue at 1:41 p.m., Ripley said. “Friday it was blowing man, two to three-foot waves and 15-18 knot winds.”
A James City County police officer arrived at the ferry terminal and saw two other swimmers in the water, the rescue report said.
Two crew members of the Pocahontas ferry lowered the ship’s emergency skiff into the water, according to Virginia Department of Transportation Jamestown Ferry Service facility manager Wes Ripley.
“It was marginal territory for putting that little boat in the water,” Ripley said.
The two crew members, Greg Crocker and Wayne Harper, stepped into the skiff and motored over to the two teenagers, according to the report.
“We got them picked up pretty quick,” Ripley said.
Crocker and Harper brought the two teens over to the ferry terminal and an operator lowered one of the entrance ramps into the water, the report said.
James City County medics took it from there, the report said.
None of the teens were injured, Catlett said.
The Pocahontas resumed operations at 2:20 p.m., the report said.