Gloucester deputy harbormaster and intern rescue two paddleboarders

A Gloucester deputy harbormaster and an intern for the department rescued two paddleboarders who were pushed out to sea Tuesday.

Gloucester police said in a news release that at 12:25 p.m., dispatchers got a call from a man who said his wife and son were paddle-boarding off of Coffin Beach, and had been blown out to sea.

The husband said he could no longer see his wife, and could see only his son’s silhouette.

Deputy Harbormaster Chad Johnson and Robert Genaway, an Endicott College student working as an intern with the Harbormaster’s Office, responded immediately in a harbormaster boat, police said.

Deputy Harbormaster Johnson and Genaway found the missing mother and son within nine minutes. The mother was about three miles from shore, and the son was about a mile and a half from shore, police said.

Both were taken back to Coffin Beach where they declined medical treatment and reunited with their family.

Harbormaster Thomas Ciarametaro said the woman and her son were pushed out to sea by a combination of an ebb tide and approximately 30 mph offshore winds. These conditions meant they had no chance of getting back to the shore on their own.

“I’m grateful for the quick and skillful response from Deputy Harbormaster Johnson and our intern, who ensured that this alarming incident did not end in tragedy,” Ciarametaro said in the release.

“I encourage all paddleboarders and others who intend to use watercraft off the coast to be mindful of wind and tide conditions and to take other safety precautions.”

The harbormaster is reminding those using paddleboards and other watercraft on open waters are encouraged to:

1. Always wear a life vest
2. Be mindful of wind, tide, and weather conditions before setting out
3. Carry a handheld VHF radio if possible

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