Heroes battle cold temperatures, rough surf to save kayaker swept out to sea

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY— A team of angels jumped into action Sunday afternoon to rescue a kayaker that drifted into the Atlantic Ocean off Moriches Inlet.

Eastport Fire Chief John Dalen told Patch that at 12:08 p.m., a call came in for a kayaker in distress whose boat had capsized in the inlet.

The kayaker was outside the seal watching when he was swept away, Dalen said.

The man, who was in his 60s, was in the “dead center” of the inlet and about a quarter of a mile out into the ocean as currents pulled him out to sea, Dalen said. “There was no way he was coming back,” she said.

The kayaker was with a friend, who initially called the Westhampton Beach Fire Department and said “his friend had drifted off,” Dalen said. “He was last seen walking through the entrance.”

The friend called for help on a small, handheld radio, Dalen said.

While fire boats were en route, a Suffolk County police helicopter was able to locate the man on the ocean side just outside the inlet, Dalen said.

An Eastport Fire Department boat, with former Chief Mark Yakaboski as a wrestler, along with his crew of three, including former Chief Ryan King, Lt. Joseph Dalen and John Dalen, were able to pass through the inlet in less than 10 minutes and rescue the victim from the water.

Lt. Dalen, John's son and a rescue swimmer, entered the water to help recover the man who was suffering from “severe” hypothermia and was unable to stand or lift his head after being in the freezing water for at least 40 minutes. he was wearing a uniform, Dalen said.

“Due to the victim's inability to assist into the boat, former Chief Ryan King assisted the victim into the boat,” Dahlen said.

The man was initially treated as the lifeboat took him to Coast Guard Station East Moriches. Multiple fire departments, along with county dispatchers and East Moriches Ambulance personnel, were waiting at the command post and helped remove the man from the boat, Dalen said. He was then transferred to a waiting Suffolk County Police helicopter and airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital for medical treatment.

“This was another successful multi-agency response from the surrounding fire departments,” Dalen said.

The response was immediate, Dalen said. Explaining that U.S. Coast Guard East Moriches is closed to rescues during the winter months — and is only open for rescues Friday through Sunday during the summer — calls usually go through the U.S. Coast Guard Station Shinnecock.

But in recent months, Dalen said local fire departments and police have been working with the USCG to create the new “Moriches Bay Marine Task Force,” with members from East Moriches, Mastic, Mastic Beach, Center Moriches, Eastport and Westhampton Beach. The Fire Department cooperates for emergency water rescues.

Fire departments also attended rapid water rescue training as well as surface water rescue courses, Dahlen said.

On Sunday, Dalen said, Westhampton Beach Capt. Darryl Schunk was commanding and overseeing operations at Coast Guard Station East Moriches, which had been designated as the command station location.

“It's a great thing to have all the fire departments and the police working together,” Dahlen said.

The Eastport Fire Department, he said, purchased a used 25-foot Coast Guard boat, all-around safety equipped, or SAFE. The rescue operation began with the four-member crew.

Describing the tumultuous conditions, Dalen said: “It was 3-4 foot waves, coming through the inlet – it was very rough. We couldn't even see him at first – if it hadn't been for the Suffolk County Police helicopter, we wouldn't have seen him ».

The officer in the helicopter threw the man a flotation device, but because he was hypothermic, he was unable to grab it. later, the boat's crew also threw him a fishing line, but he was unable to grab it as well, Dalen said.

Eventually, rescuers were able to pull him onto the boat and bring him to a waiting helicopter at the USCG station, Dalen said.

If not for the quick coordination of the Moritz Bay Task Force, Dalen said, the day might have ended in tragedy. “This was definitely a successful rescue. If we hadn't activated, it could have turned out very differently.”

Dalen, who served in the USCG for 22-and-a-half years, said the rescue still filled his heart with joy — even more so, seeing his son working to continue the tradition of dedicated service.

“My son is still on Cloud 9,” Dalen said. “He said, 'Dad, that was awesome. Now I know how you felt all these years.”

For other kayakers, while Dalen said it's not recommended to go out when the water is so cold and rough, if they do go out, they shouldn't go alone, they should bring a portable radio, wear a wetsuit and safety gear and have a flotation plan.

Plus, he said, kayakers must wear bright colors — the rescued man was all in black and was spotted by his bright red kayak, about 20 to 30 yards away.