On Sunday, May 16, 2010 at approximately 2:35 PM CPO and I (CPO2) were on patrol near North Point Marina Boat launch on Lake Michigan in our 18' Lund Patrol Boat.  I saw a red waverunner traveling north at a slow speed approximately ten feet from the outer part of the breakwall.  I looked through my binoculars and saw the operator and passenger exiting the waverunner and climbing onto the rocks of the breakwall.  The two parties were waving their arms in the sign of distress and I told CPO  to drive our boat to their location. We arrived on scene at approximately 2:39 PM and the operator informed us that the waverunner had overheated and died.  The passenger (was in the beginning stages of Hypothermia and barely able to move  as explained to us by operator  and  was also pregnant.  CPO  contacted Illinois State Police Dispatch in Des Plaines and requested that Winthrop Harbor Fire Department be advised of our situation and to have a ambulance standing by at the launch ramp to take occupant to the hospital for treatment.

We positioned our patrol boat near the unanchored waverunner and I looped a line around the handlebars with the intent to have both parties re-board the waverunner and tow them to safety.  After we realized this intention would not work, I tied an anchor to the waverunner and left it floating a safe distance away.  CPO  then motored our patrol boat into a position to pass a line and Type IV PFD to the parties on the rocks.  Due to three to four foot seas, high winds, and submerged rocks we were forced to stay approximately ten feet from the breakwall to avoid damaging our patrol boat.  Once CPO  had our patrol boat in position, I threw the Type IV and line to the rocks and instructed operator  to grab it.  Once he had a hold of the Type IV, I instructed operator  that we would be taking the occupant first.  I told occupant that I needed her to grab the Type IV and we were going to pull her to our boat and bring her aboard.  occupant entered the water and I began pulling as CPO  put the engine in reverse.  Once occupant was at the rail of our boat I made an accommodation ladder from a piece of line which occupant used to board our boat with my assistance.

Once aboard our patrol boat, I could see that occupant' lips were purple and she was shaking uncontrollably, attributed to her lack of a wetsuit and the forty-six degree water temperature.  We instructed operator  to climb to the inner portion of the breakwall and we would retrieve him from there.  I put my jacket on occupant to help keep her core body temperature from dropping as CPO  motored us to the launch ramp in North Point Marina.  Once we arrived at the launch ramp, Community Service Officer met us and assisted occupant to the ambulance that was on scene. 

CPO  and I left  to retrieve operator  from the inner portion of the breakwall as instructed.  CPO  positioned our patrol boat near the inner breakwall and operator  was able to board our patrol boat, we brought him to the launch ramp to meet with the ambulance.  The ambulance took occupant to Vista East Hospital in Waukegan for examination and treatment for Hypothermia, operator  followed in his personnel vehicle.

CPO  and I again returned to the anchored waverunner, and after pulling the anchor, towed the waverunner to the launch ramp.  

After the waverunner was secured to the dock CPO  and I drove to Vista East and met with operator  and occupant.  opreator reported that he had no injuries and occupant was stabilized and doctors reported her core temperature never dropped far below normal.  

A boat accident report was mailed to operator.
Winthrop Harbor               