A sailor and his dog were saved Christmas morning after strong winds and high surf conditions ran his vessel aground in northwest Washington.
PORT TOWNSEND, Wash. – A sailor and his dog were saved Christmas morning after strong winds and high surf conditions ran his vessel aground in northwest Washington.
The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said they received a call at about 6:50 a.m. Wednesday about a sailor in distress between the Port of Port Townsend and the Port Townsend Paper Mill.
The man had been struggling to navigate his vessel amid the strong winds, and the vessel had eventually run aground near the Larry Scott Trail, officials said. Given the high surf conditions, he and his pup were unable to leave the sailboat.
A rescue swimmer with the U.S. Coast Guard arrived to assist the duo and was able to bring them both to shore. No injuries were reported.
Coast Guard rescues dog and man from sailboat.
(Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office / FOX Weather)
Wind gusts of up to 50 mph were forecast for Christmas day by the National Weather Service. In the nearby town of Oak Harbor, a wind gust of 60 mph was reported.