CORONA DEL MAR, Calif.- This past weekend Coast Guard rescuers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal, home ported in Corona Del Mar, were busy doing what the Coast Guard is most famous for – saving lives.
On October 4, the Coast Guard received word of a small lobster pot boat that was in distress off Santa Barbara Island, a small island about 45 nm West of Los Angeles. When the Coast Guard received word of the distressed boaters a helicopter from Air Station Los Angeles was deployed, but was unable to assist with the rescue efforts due to the overhanging cliffs present on the remote rocky coast.
Coast Guard Cutter Narwhal arrived on-scene to assist in the rescue efforts for the fishing vessel that had ran “hard” aground due to the rocky coastline. The boat was unable to move and those on board were stuck on a small sandy beach. In order to assist with the rescue, the fishermen on board the boat put on immersion suits and wrapped their life jackets around their two dogs that were also on board.
The Coast Guard crew members were able to maneuver the small boat deployed from Narwhal to break through the 4 foot surf and risk getting tangled in thick kelp beds to rescue the distressed fishermen.
Lieutenant Kris Ensley, Commanding Officer of Narwhal, stated the rescue was one of the most challenging rescues he has performed and attributed the success of the rescue to the calm resolve his crew maintained throughout the rescue.
