Winterfleet Captain Jim Gervolino Describes Rescue 

                                                           Jan. 25th advisory

   Hold your heads up high Long Branch Ice Boat & Yacht. You sent us out on the ice with the right stuff to do the job.  We got your money's worth today. We were on sight with all the safety equipment when 3 men went in the water.

     To start the day Carl  & Skip and I safely drove around with the Stadler ( amphibious vehicle) and put 10 to 15 Christmas tree limbs all around the river to let everyone know were it was safe to sail. The trees marked a 4 inch or thicker safety zone. Not everyone followed the boundary marks though.

     The first man that went in was 1200 feet past the trees. The second man went in trying to get to the first man and help him. Because the water was so shallow both men were able to got out before we got to them-and in both cases we did retrieve their boats for them. The third man went in during the rescue of the first two boats. Keith was closer to the third man and was throwing him a line when the rest of us pulled up. We pulled the wet and tired man a good 200 foot across the ice before he got to strong enough ice to stand up. He also was 600 foot beyond the safety tree line. Then Skip with the Stadler drove the third man all the way back to his car. Carl, Keith, Fred and I worked on getting the ice boat out for the man Skip was driving back.

      VICTIM OFFERS TO MAKE  DONATION AND TELLS HIS STORY:

Dear Sirs,

I would like to make a donation to the Long Branch Ice Boat Club for its part in helping rescue my son Justin, after his iceboat fell through the ice today, Sunday January 25th in the Shrewsbury River.

                                                                                       By Arthur A. Topilow, MD FACP

     John Quinn and I have sailed together in soft water for 25 years, racing my J/24 out of Metedeconk River Yacht Club and Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club, where I have memberships.  John belongs to the Shrewsbury Sailing and Yacht  Club.  About 5 years ago we were introduced to  iceboats  in Metedeconk and we both  bought iceboats.  We were invited to join and now both belong to the Red Bank Club, the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club. (NSIBYC)  You may  see a video we made on utube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMyW0SQnz-c    (the background music is from my CD) John and I sailed the Shrewsbury on Friday without incident.  I invited Justin, my 36 year old son to join us on Sunday.  We had been sailing around for about 3 hours, the three of us sharing two boats.  It was Justin's turn, and I warned him once again to not wander to the extremes of the course that had been set up.  We didn't fully understand that the trees on the ice marked the boundaries of safety.  I transferred my camera, my wrist GPS, my helmet and goggles, and most importantly the bear claws to him.  I mentioned the bear claws because for one or two runs, we had forgotten to transfer them.  I looked off in the distance around 2 PM and saw a boat go over.  I wasn't sure at first that it was him or he just hadn't flipped the boat on the hard ice.  When I couldn't find my boat still sailing, I realized it had to be him and that he had gone through the ice.  He had gone off towards the north shore, close to open water.  He told me later that he had been somewhat disoriented as to his position, and then immediately realized that the ice was thin.  Soon thereafter, he broke through the ice.  He found himself standing on the bottom in three feet of very cold water.  He couldn't get out immediately, but probably after about 5 to 7 minutes, possibly longer, he pulled himself out with the bear claws.  He lay flat on the ice and after wriggling towards firm ice, the rescue people threw him a line and dragged him onto thicker ice.  My buddy John Quinn realized right away what was happening and sailed his iceboat close to where Justin had gone in.  When he saw Justin was coming out, he quickly sailed to the south shore and started his car to warm it up.  Justin after a while, was able to stand up and walk towards the 6 wheel rescue vehicle.  He climbed in and was driven to the south shore where he walked into John's car.  Once in the car, he was, with great difficulty, able to get his clothes off.  This took some time, and when I reached the car and saw what was happening, I thought for a moment that I would have to cut his clothes off.  He was shivering, but alert, which was a good sign.  His skin which had been wet was very cold.  The car was quite warm.  Justin had brought a change of clothes with him, which he eventually put on after he got his salty wet clothes off.   Justin warmed up sufficiently after about a half hour, and drove himself home to Livingston in north Jersey.
    The man in the 6 wheeler told me that my boat would be brought the shore, which to my great amazement, it was.  I had a brief conversation with a guy in a dry suit who was riding in the 6 wheeler. After walking to the south shore, I saw that my boat had already been sailed back to the SSYC.  While Justin was warming up, John and I got the boats off the ice and looked around for our stuff.  The wrist GPS was missing and my camera had been immersed.  (I subsequently took the chip out of the camera, and downloaded the photos and videos.)  The bear claws were also missing.  On the boat the metal post underneath the boat had fallen off and the wooden part of the tiller was broken.  Today, one day later, the tiller and post have been replaced and I have ordered additional bear claws and a throw rope. 
    I can't thank the Long Branch club enough for what they had done for us.  Pulling Justin to thicker ice, and getting him across the ice to the warm car saved a lot of time.  If not for the time saved, Justin might have gone into hypothermic coma.  Equipment can be replaced, but a life cannot. 

         Note of thanks from Keith Brummer

    Saftey and Regatta Committee Chairman

   First I would like to thank and congratulate our winter fleet  captain for all of his help and efforts keeping everything running smoothly and safely this past week.         

     As you probably heard already our team made a few good recoveries this weekend pulling people and there

boats out after going on thin ice. I know they were also very thankful we were all there to lend a hand.

     I would like to also thank all of our members who helped raise money and donations over the past few years to  make our safety committee what it is today. All of you should be proud of what we have accomplished in such a short time -- with gratitude.   

CLUB MEMBERS RESCUE ICE BOATERS