Coast Guard Rescues Kayaker off Pacifica
On Friday, the Coast Guard came to the aid of an overturned kayak in Bay Area waters.
The kayaker was rescued off the beach town of Pacifica, just south of San Francisco. “San Mateo County personnel contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at 3:50 p.m. reporting a person in the water in distress approximately 100 yards offshore,” a Coast Guard press release said. The Coast Guard sent a rescue helicopter, which arrived on scene at 4:25 p.m.”
The kayaker seemed to be suffering from hypothermia, but there were no further details on their condition, according to the press release.
Video by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon /Â US Coast Guard
The rescue comes as the Latitude 38 community has been debating whether to sail and recreate on the water during California’s COVID-19 lockdown. Forcing first responders to come to the aid of ‘pleasure craft’ was seen as the worst-case scenario.
The Coast Guard, who often uses rescues as teachable moments to remind mariners about safety practices, made no mention of the quarantine — or recreational boating in general — in their press release.
Yes. My thoughts exactly on “forcing first responders”. Our kayak club up here in Anacortes, WA has suspended all paddles and meet-ups, including on-the-water. I see this as an even greater imperative regarding kayaking or sailing solo and the risk of burdening first responders. Think it’s a remote risk for sailing? Think again. I remember rescuing a gung-ho SSS sailor just outside the Richmond channel one year. He had fallen overboard and was being held just out of the water by another SSS who was drooped over his own aft life lines and couldn’t get enough leverage to bring the overboard guy aboard his boat. He said, “you guys got here just in time. I could not have held him much longer”.