Emergency crews were called in to rescue two paddleboarders who were blown out to sea off the coast of Coffin Beach in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on Tuesday.
Police and the harbormaster responded just before 12:30 p.m. when they received a 911 call from a concerned man who said his wife and son had been paddleboarding and were blown out by strong winds, according to a joint statement from Police Chief Edward Conley and Harbormaster Thomas Ciarametaro. The husband said he couldn't see his wife and his son was just a silhouette in the distance.
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Rescuers found the man's wife three miles out from shore and the son about a mile and a half out. Neither was hurt, and they were taken back to the beach.
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Ciarametaro said a combination of an ebb tide and offshore winds around 30 mph pushed the paddleboarders out, giving them "no chance" of getting back without help.
Officials suggest anyone paddleboarding or using similar watercraft like kayaks be prepared by always wearing a life vest, checking tide and weather conditions before heading out, and carrying a handheld radio if possible to call for help if needed.
