Stranded boater holds on in ‘harsh’ NC waters for hours. Then good Samaritans step in

A boater was stranded for hours in “downright brutal” conditions — until good Samaritans stepped in, officials said.

The man was hundreds of yards off the North Carolina coast when his boat overturned on Thursday, Sept. 22. Crews rushed to reach him, encountering “very rough surf” in an area with two wave breaks, according to Oak Island Water Rescue.

“There is the traditional shore break, an area of relative calm in the shallows, and then huge breakers near the old shipwrecks,” the rescue group wrote in a Facebook post. “The waves in that area were a constant 4-6 feet with some hitting 8 or more feet in height and very close intervals. This makes boating, and rescuing, extremely dangerous and challenging.”

Minutes before crews got to the stranded boater, good Samaritans brought him onto their fishing boat, officials said.

“He was exhausted and said he had been holding on for over 2 hours,” the rescue group wrote on Facebook.

Officials said the crews first responded at about 9:30 a.m. near The Point, a beachfront park in the southeastern part of the state.

Before the rescue, forecasters had warned that Hurricane Fiona could make for dangerous conditions on North Carolina waters. In addition to risks for boaters, the National Weather Service said the storm had the potential to threaten swimmers with rip currents as it passed to the east.

“Boaters must check conditions before venturing out, and know their own limits and the limits of their craft,” Oak Island Water Rescue wrote on Sept. 22. “Clearly, the small boat this morning was no match for the wind and waves being generated by Hurricane Fiona.”

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