Fall Storm Hits Southern New England & R.I. Coast

As many of you know, an early fall storm brought heavy winds and rain to the Southern New England area.  In addition to the normal power-outages and other similar inconveniences, the storm wreaked havoc with local roads, causing flooding and closures all over the state. It was very much the same story on the water, and the Safe/Sea Emergency Response Center received many reports of boats sinking and capsizing in local marinas and mooring fields. 

As you would expect, Safe/Sea initiated a full response to the anticipated storm.  Extra staff in the response center were able to assist those “out in the field.”  Safe/Sea Captains Peter Andrews, Phil LeBlanc, and Andrew Casey were sortied in two of Safe/Sea’s fully-equipped salvage vessels, the 35’ M/V Safe/Sea Salvor, and the 35’ M/V Safe/Sea Newport.  Staff-members Nicholas LeBlanc and Rob Hutchison were also sent out; Rob as a deckhand to Captain Peter Andrews aboard the M/V Salvor and Nick as an on-scene coordinator in a salvage vehicle.

After patrolling in Jamestown for almost 6 hours, Safe/Sea started receiving reports of multiple vessels in distress in Bristol Harbor. Captains LeBlanc & Casey, and deckhand Hutchison volunteered to brave the seas for the trip North and departed for Bristol. There, they were able to rescue a 42' Endeavor which had broken free from its mooring and was charging through the crowded mooring field. The videos of this case, as well as the reports of both Captains, can be downloaded below. (S/V Talaria).

While all of this was happening, two additional vessels had broken free in Dutch Harbor and driven themselves high upon the beach with the four-foot storm surge. Both of these vessels had to be rigged with hull straps and pulled to the water later in the week. A video of one of these pulls is available for download below. (S/V Orinoco).

Finally, on Sunday, the wind moderated from 50-60 knots down to 40, and switched from the South to the West. After a few hours of much deserved rest, Safe/Sea's bedraggled Captains arrived back in the office early on Sunday morning, and were immediately dispatched again. Yet another vessel had broken free in Dutch Harbor, and the reports indicated that it was quickly heading towards the two vessels already aground. Captains Peter Andrews and Phil LeBlanc arrived on-scene just as the 34' Beneteau entered the surf line. As you can see in the video below, the water surrounding the vessel was so shallow, the color had turned from the green most of us are used to, to a muddy brown. Luckily, the Safe/Sea vessel arrived with only seconds to spare and managed to save this boat from the fate that many others had suffered over the weekend.