On the above date and time, I responded to the Indian River Inlet for a 10-10 involving a pontoon and possible whale. I arrived and documented the pontoon at the Public ramp that was towed in by Tow Boat Us, with a photo (see attached). I interviewed the owner/operator of V-1 (DL 6227 U) and was advised that at approx 0800hrs he and his wife had departed from Masseys Landing to fish the inlet. At approx 0900hrs, V-1 was finished with thier first drift outside the entrance to the marina. When he was planeing to move back to drift again, the collision with the unknown object occured. The motor and motor mount was ripped off and hanging by the steering cable. the operator stated that he did not see anything in the water prior to and after the collision. After a unknown boater advised operator that there had been a whale in the inlet all morning around the Coast Guard station. The collision occured several hundred yards from where the sighting was. There were no violations that occured that contributed in the collision.
Bethany Beach                 