Coast Guard Rescue - again

Even when it is warm, sunny, and clear here, (Southern Oregon coast) there can be huge storm surges and rogue waves. This 22-foot NOAA Survey boat got caught in the surf 40 feet from shore and flipped over. The captain was able to swim to shore, but the other fellow was trapped below the overturned boat for an hour  in a small air pocket, in 52-degree water. 

The Coast Guard guys tried to swim out to the boat to get a rope on it to pull it to shore, but the 10-foot surf kept rolling them completely over and pushing them back.
They finally hooked up the rope,  and 25 men on shore  tried to pull the boat in, but it was too heavy, full of sand, and the covered top was digging into the bottom and caught on rocks.

Then a Jeep with a big winch tried, and the rope broke. Finally, a bulldozer was called in and managed to pull the boat in far enough so the CG could reach the boat, prop it up - still overturned -  and pull the guy out the forward  hatch.

This is the actual moment of  rescue ,  and this and other images I took appeared on the front page of our paper. 

Unfortunately, the same thing happened LAST year - the survey boat got too close to the shore, got caught, and flipped over when it was broadsided by a big wave. All crew have survived thus far, but they REALLY need not to use light, bouyant, small aluminum boats in these pounding waves ! 

Taken from our front deck

2018:04:26 11:50:08
D850
150-600mm @ 340mm
1/500 sec, f/10
Mode: Av
Metering: Multi-segment
Exp comp: +1
ISO: 500
White balance: Fine weather
Flash: Off