Praise for Boat Rescuers

With all the sad stories in the news of boats breaking free from moorings and docks up and down the Atlantic seaboard as Irene swept through yesterday, I wanted to share a small story of positive news. Yesterday in Newburyport Harbor, Massachusetts, at the height of the storm, at least 8 boats broke free from their moorings, and several others pulled their moorings into collision risks with other boats. Many of us boat owners watched horrified from shore as the wind and waves tore at our boats and finally broke chains and heavy mooring gear. But through it all, the local TowBoatU.S. operator, Mike Goodrich and his two crew of Marine Services, dashed their rescue boat about the harbor snatching up boat after drifting boat before they could wreck on the rocks or slam another boat. These guys are local heroes now for braving the storm and leaping fearlessly from the rescue boat onto plunging boats adrift to secure them. It was a sight to see, and a lot of us are much happier now to be in a harbor watched over by these guys!