Harbor Unit Rescues Kayaker From the Long Island Sound

NEW ROCHELLE, NY —On Sunday afternoon, the New Rochelle police harbor unit rescued a distressed kayaker from a rocky area of the Long Island Sound.

The kayaker called police to report that he was being swept away by strong winds and currents. The boater said that he was being pulled further into open water and the nearby shipping channel.
The successful rescue took place just after 2:30 p.m. in an area of the sound in New Rochelle known as the Middle Ground, outside the channel by Davids Island, according to a police statement.

The marine unit officers were able to bring the kayaker safely onto the Marine I patrol boat.
The kayaker was taken back to dry land at the harbor unit base in Echo Bay Marina. He refused medical treatment, but learned a valuable lesson about respecting the potential hazards of the Atlantic Ocean estuary.

The New Rochelle Police Department Harbor Unit is a seasonal unit that operates from April through October. A sergeant, four police officers, and between four to six assistant harbormasters are assigned to the unit.

The primary function of the patrol is to enforce navigation laws and promote boater safety, but the unit has taken part in a number of high profile water rescues in recent years. The harbor unit covers more than 9 miles of shoreline and roughly 3 square miles of open water, but will respond to any nearby distress calls.