INITIAL CALL:  At approximately 1530 hours on 5/29/11 NPS dispatch put out a call for a swamped vessel that had reached shore somewhere in the Wahweap area where the occupants could see a launch ramp.

RESPONSE:  I was near the marina and notified NPS dispatch I would start searching for the party at Castle Rock working toward Lon Rock.  I located the swamped vessel and its passengers behind Castle Rock.

ACTION TAKEN:  I made contact with the vessel owner/operator and told him he would have to leave his vessel there due to the wind storm.  I told him to get his party to come over and quickly board my patrol vessel as the waves were driving my vessel higher on the beach.  All the swamped vessel's passengers boarded my vessel and I transported them back to the Wahweap launch ramp.

At the ramp I spoke with the passengers to determine what had happened.  Operator stated he was driving the vessel towards the beach when several waves came over the top of the vessel and swamped it very quickly.  He stated they were bailing as fast as they could but could not keep up with the waves coming into the boat.  He was able to get the boat to shore where I found them.  I told him to contact Aramark Executive Services that afternoon or tomorrow morning to get a ride back out to his boat and see if it would start or have them tow it back.  I told him due to the high winds and big waves they would not attempt towing the vessel that day and the winds were not forcasted to slow down until late that evening.

The accident was obviously due to the wind and wave conditions at the time.  A high wind advisory was in effect with sustained winds of 45 mph gusting over 60 mph.  The waves near his vessel were approximately 4' in height.

NPS REPORT 11-1112
Page                          