Trio Stranded For 3 Days When Boats Hit San Pablo Bay Jetty

NORTH BAY, CA – Three men were stranded for three days when two boats struck a rock jetty in San Pablo Bay west of the Mare Island Golf Course in Vallejo, the Vallejo Fire Department said.

The men made it to land and one showed up at the golf course Wednesday around 2:30 p.m., Vallejo Fire Department Engineer Danny Gutierrez said.

A 4-by-4 fire department vehicle at the abandoned ammunition depot west of the golf course rescued the other man, Gutierrez said. The two men said they did not need to be taken to a hospital, Gutierrez said.

The third man had not been found by mid-afternoon, but the two other men said he was in good condition, Gutierrez said.

The two men said they struck the jetty because it was hard to see in the darkness, Gutierrez said.

The Vallejo Fire Department was called to the golf course at 2:38 p.m., Gutierrez said.

Matt Steinberger, who works in the course's pro shop, said one of his employees was golfing when he saw a man climb over a fence and ask for help.

"We went to look for him but didn't see him and thought it was a hoax," Steinberger said. The two men who were found were rescued from a marsh area, Steinberger said.

"One guy seemed alright and the other looked a little battered," Steinberger said. Both men appeared to be in their 30s or early 40s, Steinberger said.

The golf course closed nine holes in response to the incident, Steinberger said.

A California Highway Patrol helicopter and the U.S. Coast Guard also responded to the incident, Gutierrez said.

The Mare Island Golf Course was established in 1892 and is the oldest course west of the Mississippi River, according to its website.

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