Last Sunday, a boater reported an upside-down kayak floating in Long Island Sound, just off Compo Beach.
The Westport Police Department Marine Unit raced into action. So did boats from neighboring jurisdictions.
Westport Police radioed information about the incident to private boaters on the water. They shared a photo of the kayak.
Westport Police Marine Unit, with the kayak.
The incident ended fortuitously. Emmah Tait — a Staples High School graduate, and rising sophomore at Colorado State University — had already spotted a man, without a life preserver, clinging to his kayak.
She picked him up and brought him to Ned Dimes Marina, where he had parked his car. Perhaps because of exhaustion, he did not notify police — or anyone else — that his kayak was still in the Sound.
Emmah’s father Chris — a Westport Representative Town Meeting member — learned that she had rescued the kayaker, when he texted her about the missing person. He promptly alerted authorities. (Click here to read the full story.)
Sunday could have been a disaster.
It was not, thanks to this week’s Unsung Heroes: the Westport Police Marine Unit, their colleagues from nearby towns, the private boaters who helped — and of course Emmah and Chris Tait.
(“06880” is proud to honor Unsung Heroes — and tell many other tales of town too. Please click here to support your hyper-local blog.)
Westport Police Marine Unit, scouring the Sound. (Photo/Jim Hood)
Great job Chris and Emmah ❤️🇺🇸 you saved a life!
Great job by the rescuer and first responders. 06880 being kind to the non-PFD wearing kayaker.
Great job Westport fire and Westport pd great job Emmah and Chris
In the late 1950’s I was certified to life guard at the NYC Municipal Guard school. Jobs were offered at the Rockaway beaches and the municipal pools. Between undertows and lots of kids who didn’t know how to swim the job was a constant opportunity to use learned skills.
In the early 1960’s I worked at the Palisade interstate park commission pools and lakes in Rockland Coulty NY. Lots of pool saves at Bear Mt Inn pool,Lake Welch pool and Talman Mt Pool- no drownings.
But lakes like ocean beaches are a different problem just like Compo- once a swimmer slips under the water you can’t see them. It doesn’t take much to turn a great day at the beach into a nightmare for a family.
1958 one drowning at Rockland lake beach and 1959 one drowning at Lake Sebago beach- kids pulling themselves out on the area ropes, letting go, quietly slipping under and drowning.
My opinion- pThe only important statistic at Compo or Longshore is no drownings.