King Tide Strands Boaters on SF Bay

The United States Coast Guard has rescued two boaters who became stuck in San Francisco Bay after the king tide, an official with the Menlo Park Fire Protection District said.

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A Menlo Fire airboat picked up the men at about 10:30 p.m. Monday after a USCG helicopter spotted the boaters near Coyote Creek in Fremont.

The boaters called for help with a cell phone at about 6:30 p.m. and reported they were near the navigation marker in Alviso. The cellphone then fell in the water.

Menlo Air Boat 1 responded to the Alviso navigation market but did not find the men.

Rescuers on the airboat searched until 8 p.m. for the boaters and then requested assistance from a USCG helicopter, which located the boaters miles from the navigation marker.

[Related: King Tides Could Result in Coastal Flooding, Strong Rip Tides.]

“It’s a big bay and a very little boat to find in the dark, especially when people have no real idea where they are, they should feel lucky the in bound helicopter spotted them,” Menlo Park Fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said in a statement.

The boaters told rescuers they wanted to stay with the boat, but rescuers persuaded them to leave since they had no supplies or communications.

A battalion chief and Coast Guard liaison at the rescue command post in East Palo Alto decided that staying with the boat was not an option after a four-hour search for the men.

Officials said the rescue is the second in a little more than 24 hours.

Both boats were out of Alviso and got caught in the tide.

--Bay City News

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