Two people became stranded the evening of Oct. 6 after their boat lost power and ran aground on Great Mark Island near Harpswell, prompting a dramatic water rescue involving local lobstermen, emergency responders and a private salvage crew.
Harpswell Harbormaster Paul Plummer said his office received reports of the disabled vessel just after 6:30 p.m. The boat, a 30-foot express cruiser, had run aground in a rocky area and begun taking on water.
A lobsterman from Bailey Island and personnel from the Portland-based towing and salvage firm Determination Marine LLC were first on scene, Plummer said. Faced with steep, rocky ledges around the vessel, they determined a smaller skiff would be needed to safely approach those aboard. Shortly afterward, the Yarmouth harbormaster and a rescue boat from the Cundy’s Harbor Volunteer Fire Department joined the response.
Because of dangerous surf and the challenging terrain, the two people on board the vessel decided to jump into the water and swim to the nearby rocky island, where rescuers could reach them more readily, Plummer said. He described it as a “dramatic scene.”
The boat’s occupants made it to shore with no injuries, Plummer said. Yarmouth Harbormaster Will Owen was able to reach the island and pick them up. The Cundy’s Harbor boat then took them to Cook’s Wharf on Bailey Island for a medical evaluation.
Because of the rough conditions, rescuers were forced to leave the disabled vessel at the scene overnight, Determination Marine owner Parker Poole said in an interview. They returned on Oct. 8 to prepare the boat for towing and found it had been looted, he said.
The next morning, the boat was rigged with lift bags — inflatable devices used to refloat vessels — and inspected. It was then towed to Dolphin Marina, where it was lifted out of the water.
