BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A Coast Guard boatcrew rescued two people after their sailing vessel capsized in Squalicum Harbor, Bellingham, Wednesday.
The sailors were taken to the Squalicum Marina in good condition and declined medical attention.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Bellingham received a phone call at 2:41p.m. from a local resident, reporting that a sailing vessel had capsized and two people were in the water.
Station Bellingham crews launched a 45-foot Response Boat – Medium to assist. The crew arrived on scene around 2:48 p.m. and found one person in the water and the other person holding on to the overturned 13-foot sailing vessel.
“Fortunately, the sailors were well prepared and outfitted,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Nicholas Grier, a boatswain's mate and small boat coxswain at Station Bellingham. “They were wearing life jackets, wet suits and helmets, which all greatly increased their chance of survival in the water. The amount of preparation they made before leaving the dock proved invaluable when they ran into trouble.”
The sailboat became stuck in the mud after capsizing, and officials at the Bellingham Yacht Club, who own the vessel, are arranging to remove it.
The weather on scene was reportedly 1 to 3 foot seas, 10 to 20 mph winds, and an air and water temperature of 62 degrees Fahrenheit.