A duck hunter who rolled his kayak near Jewell Island in Casco Bay on Saturday night set off a chain of events that caused three rescue boats to run aground, including Portland's new $3.2 million fireboat.
There were no injuries, and the hunter who called for emergency help complaining of hypothermia was expected to be OK.
Less certain were the conditions of the boats.
Portland Fire Chief Fred LaMontagne said late Saturday that the 65-foot MV City of Portland IV likely would be pulled from the water for an inspection.
"We had a full-moon tide, an astronomically low tide. During the rescue effort it appears the fireboat struck something on its way back in. It gets very shallow out there, and there are a lot of ledge outcroppings. The lower end of the rudder shaft possibly struck something."
The events began unfolding around 5:30 p.m. during the outgoing tide. The 62-year-old hunter, whose name was not released, apparently flipped his kayak, scrambled to shore and called for help. His wife was with him, though it was not clear whether she was in the kayak with him or in another vessel.
The Fire Department responded with the 65-foot fireboat and launched a smaller rescue skiff when the big boat began running out of water. Rescuers purposely beached the skiff, knowing the tide would leave it high and dry, and assisted the hunter on the island.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard was in the area on a training mission with a 25-foot response boat. While motoring over to Jewell to offer assistance, the Coast Guard boat ran aground.
From its station in South Portland, the Coast Guard launched a second boat. By then, the Portland fireboat was on its way back in to the harbor.
It was during its voyage back to port that it struck a ledge, or some other object, around Whitehead Passage. The second Coast Guard boat assisted the Portland fireboat at that time.
"They were taking on a little bit of water," said Paul Painter, search-and-rescue controller for the Coast Guard. "They were able to keep up with it, but we brought them gas and a pump, just in case."
Late Saturday, the hunter, his wife and their rescuers were still on the island, awaiting an incoming tide that would allow enough water to float the beached inflatable and a small vessel dispatched by Maine Marine Patrol.
Staff Writer Bob Keyes can be contacted at 791-6457 or at:
bkeyes@pressherald.com
