An experienced boater who became fatigued several miles off the coast of Newport Beach had to be rescued Wednesday morning.
The boater left from Avalon harbor Tuesday morning in a “professional rowboat” and became fatigued later in the evening, according to Lt. Kristyn Grier of the U.S. Coast Guard.
By Wednesday morning, the boater could no longer continue and made a distress call from about 17 miles away from Newport Beach, according to Grier.
“She was very fatigued, she was dehydrated, she was suffering from sea sickness and also very badly sunburned,” Grier said.
The Coast Guard’s cutter Narwhal was able to locate the boat, which was well equipped and had a GPS device, in less than an hour, according to Grier, who said the boater appeared to be experienced and “very prepared.”
The Coast Guard brought the boater back to Newport Harbor where she was able to walk off the cutter on her own before being put on a stretcher and taken by ambulance to a local hospital.
The recent hot weather may have played a factor in the incident as sea conditions were fairly calm, Grier said.
