'Severely hypothermic' man rescued from waters of Puget Sound
INDIANOLA, Wash. - A man is hospitalized with severe hypothermia after he fell from a sailboat and was rescued from the frigid waters of Puget Sound in Kitsap County, emergency officials said.
The incident began at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday when people at a church camp near Jefferson Head heard someone yelling for help, then saw a man in the water attempting to cling to a 30-foot sailboat anchored off shore.
Units from the Coast Guard, Kitsap Marine Unit and North Kitsap Fire & Rescue responded to the area, which is between Jefferson Beach and Indianola.
While the crews were responding, a kayaker in the vicinity was able to assist the man ashore to the beach, said Michele Laboda of North Kitsap Fire & Rescue.
When emergency crews reached the man on the beach they found he was severely hypothermic. He told them he had been in the water for a long time after falling off the sailboat.
The man was transported by medic units to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton, where he is listed in serious condition.
Officials said the man, believed to be in his 60s, was likely only moments from sinking below the surface when the kayaker brought him to shore.
The incident began at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday when people at a church camp near Jefferson Head heard someone yelling for help, then saw a man in the water attempting to cling to a 30-foot sailboat anchored off shore.
Units from the Coast Guard, Kitsap Marine Unit and North Kitsap Fire & Rescue responded to the area, which is between Jefferson Beach and Indianola.
While the crews were responding, a kayaker in the vicinity was able to assist the man ashore to the beach, said Michele Laboda of North Kitsap Fire & Rescue.
When emergency crews reached the man on the beach they found he was severely hypothermic. He told them he had been in the water for a long time after falling off the sailboat.
The man was transported by medic units to Harrison Medical Center in Bremerton, where he is listed in serious condition.
Officials said the man, believed to be in his 60s, was likely only moments from sinking below the surface when the kayaker brought him to shore.
There is a lesson here. If your boat has high sides and no swim platform, placing a boarding ladder over the side is likely a good idea if you are alone on board. Under way, perhaps a knotted rope would be better, kept forward of the propeller with a trailing line. I think most sailboats traveling long distances (Hawaii?) do that. If he was in the water for âabout an hourâ and did not try to swim ashore, it may be that he was not wearing a PGD and was hanging on to something but just not able to re-board.  The actual first lesson is that no matter how many PFDâs you have on board, they do you no good if you are not wearing one when you fall overboard. I am glad he is OK; it could have become tragic before long.        Â
@oldster70 Dude, this sounds just like that movie Open Water 2
 @oldster70 Hey Oldie-but-goodie,I read your post and thoroughly agree with ALL that you said. And I, too, hope in the future that this guy will better prepare himself for unexpected mishaps but just want to give a major shout out to the unnamed kayaker who probably saved this man's life!  Hope he gets to thank you too  once he has regrouped; I'm sure his family would as well...Cheers! best news all day-