PORT CANAVERAL -- Summertime means a lot of boats on the water, and with summer storms and hurricane season, the waters can be choppy.
- Spectrum News rides along w/ U.S. Coast Guard
- Coast guard shows how they rescue boaters
Spectrum News rode along with U.S. Coast Guard members at Port Canaveral as they showed us how to respond to a boat in distress and make a rescue.
“This is the 45 boat response medium -- its offshore unit or asset, I should say. We used it for cases off shore,” said Nigel Ellis.
In 2017, the U.S. Coast Guard Port Canaveral post responded to around 100 rescue cases on the water. They cover around 50 miles along the coast.
“If someone is taking on water, they need a tow or their boat is on fire, it gets amplified when there is a storm,” Ellis said.
During hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, a lot of storms can come through, and boaters could see some choppy conditions on the water.
“When a storm comes in the four or five or six feet rain, where you can see 50 feet in the front of the boat, winds get up to 30 knots when it’s really bad,” Ellis said.
The Coast Guard boat is equipped with the latest technology to communicate with boaters and their station. They also have infrared for rescues.
It has also has life rings and a P6 pump for vessels that have taken in water.
To try avoid issues on the water, the U.S. Coast Guard always says to check the weather before heading out.