GOING DOWN

WE HIT SOMETHING. BROKE THE SHAFT. THERE’S ABOUT 10 INCHES OF WATER IN THE ENGINE ROOM AND RISING FAST.

Our five-man crew grabbed an opportunity for a few precious hours of early morning fishing before hitting the to-do lists in our lives. Even though it was cool and overcast, the sea was slick calm. Relaxing. At least until we heard the VHF radio crackle: “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”

A 52-foot cruiser to our east had struck a submerged object and was taking on water in rapid fashion. The captain calmly told the U.S. Coast Guard: “We hit something. Broke the shaft. There’s about 10 inches of water in the engine room and rising fast.”

He was about 15 minutes away. I looked at our boat’s owner, Tom. We nodded, pulled in our lines and beelined it to the sinking vessel. Tom communicated to the captain that we were en route. The Coast Guard dispatched a nearby boat.

I didn’t see any of the other vessels around us, about a dozen, respond. Perhaps they weren’t monitoring Channel 16 or they just didn’t hear the call.

During our run, the captain of the stricken cruiser noted that he did not have a life raft on board. He had an EPIRB but hadn’t activated it. The Coast Guard instructed him to do so. By the time we arrived, a Coast Guard vessel was approaching. There were also two Sea Tow boats, a bay constable boat, a New York Police Department helicopter and several other recreational boats. It was great to see the massive, and fast, response.

We stayed on station until the Coast Guard engaged with the boat. Surrounded by a parade of vessels with flashing lights, we watched as the cruiser, listing hard, limped toward the inlet on its working motor. Later, we were told the crew had managed to get the vessel back to port.

It was fantastic news, but it also left me thinking: Why didn’t those other vessels near us respond? Why didn’t this captain keep a life raft on board? Had his boat been farther offshore, this tale could have ended much differently. When I got my captain’s license, my dad said: “People don’t pay you to take them out. Anyone can do that. They pay you to bring them home.”

Sage advice. Be prepared, always.