A Station Kauai 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew member stands tow watch as they tow the sailing vessel Isis back to Kauai, Hawaii, May 7, 2020. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Hogan)
HONOLULU —The Coast Guard and Kauai Fire Department assisted a 70-year-old boater who was suffering symptoms of severe seasickness onboard the 32-foot recreational sailing vessel Isis 18 miles northwest of Hanalei Bay, Thursday.
A Coast Guard Station Kauai 45-foot Response Boat-Medium crew assisted the boater, towing the vessel to Hanalei Bay. Kauai Fire Department first responders came aboard and assessed the patient upon arrival. He was transferred in stable condition.
“The boater made the right decision when he notified us of his condition,” said Fireman Johanna Thompson, a Coast Guard Sector Honolulu watchstander. “At the time, he did not require assistance, but it is always best to err on the side of caution and tell someone if you believe you may be in trouble so we can properly monitor the situation and act if necessary.”
At 10 p.m., Wednesday, the boater notified Sector Honolulu watchstanders of his condition, which he stated were not severe but wanted to let someone know his situation. He intended to get some sleep and reassess in the morning.
Sector Honolulu watchstanders asked pertinent COVID-19 questions and consulted the duty flight surgeon who agreed with their plan to establish a communication schedule and contact the boater in the morning. The boater was not displaying symptoms of COVID-19.
At 5 a.m., Thursday, Sector Honolulu watchstanders made contact again with the boater who stated his condition was unchanged. Throughout the night, the vessel drifted the northwest, and watchstanders launched the RB-M crew to assist.
The RB-M crew arrived on the scene, about 16 miles from the previous position, and found the boater in the vessel’s cabin. He was conscious but unable to leave his rack. RB-M personnel remained aboard the sailing vessel and put it in tow back to Kauai. The boater’s condition improved when they reached calmer water.
The weather at the time of the medevac was reportedly winds of 20 mph and seas up to 6 feet.
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