As winter approaches, storms pass more frequently through the Pacific Northwest, making river entrances dangerous to cross.
The crew of a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Washington state towed the disabled sailboat Turtle Dove across a rough Columbia River Bar on Nov. 7.
The two sailors aboard got caught in a storm, became disoriented, had trouble with their sails and eventually asked for assistance coming across the bar.
You can hear the communication and teamwork among the Coast Guard crew and their orders to the sailboat’s skipper once the tow begins: “Clear the bow and keep your radio on you. Go inside.”
