There’s a reason why the Coast Guard is still so much a part of the Outer Banks. The waterways can be dangerous and pleasure boats and commercial craft get in trouble all the time.
Coast Guard Station Hatteras has had two rescues this month.
Back at the beginning of the month, on October 1, a call went out for help when the rudder jammed on a 25’ fishing boat. The boat was just outside Hatteras Inlet.
The when the Coast Guard arrived, they put a tow rope on the vessel and brought it safely into port.
Then on Friday, the shrimper Miss Sophia out of Englehard didn’t get to port when she was supposed. At 10:30 a.m. the station received a phone and the crew at the station started calling around to see if anyone had seen the ship.
When it became apparent that the ship had not made port anywhere, the Coast Guard started signaling for the captain to respond and let them know if he was in distress. They finally made contact and learned that the ship had lost its electronics and then its steering. Unable to maneuver the boat, it drifted, running aground on Pringleton Shoal.
Pringleton Shoal is north of Englehard in Pamlico Sound at the mouth of Long Shoal River.
A response boat was sent to the scene and the captan and mate were taken of the Miss Sophia and brought to Englehard.
To get an idea of how efficient the Coast Guard was, from first notice to rescue was four hours.
Certainly modern navigation tools, better constructed watercraft and reasonably accurate weather forecasts have significantly reduced the dangers of Outer Banks waters, but the dangers still exist. And the Coast Guard is still on duty.
The waters of the Outer Banks are a remarkable source of beauty and natural abundance. Check them out when you stay with Brindley Beach Vacations.