Industry News
It was a nice, warm day at Lake Tahoe, so we took a short evening hike along the east shore trail on the Nevada side. The lake was unusually rough, and we saw no boats or SUPs.
We went to our favorite swimming place near Sand Harbor and, after a plunge, were relaxing in the evening sun, sitting on the rocks. That’s when we noticed a dark spot in the waters quite far away. It didn’t look like a rock or a log, so we tried to figure out what it could be.
Do you see a person in the picture above? We did!
We looked through our phones using max zoom, and what appeared to be a person sitting on a capsized boat or catamaran—we couldn’t distinguish from that distance—seemed to be waving with one hand.
We were almost sure that he or she was in trouble, so we decided to call 911. The dispatcher got our message and mentioned that they had already received a similar report.
In a few minutes, we heard a police siren. Sometime later, we saw a patrol boat approaching the person on the capsized catamaran. We waited until they rescued the person and climbed back to the trail. The police car was already gone, so we don’t know about the conditions of the rescued boater. We hope he or she is okay.
In the wake of this rescue and several other incidents in Lake Tahoe over the past few weeks, it’s a good idea to brush up on hand signals—for both boaters and bystanders—as they may save someone’s life.
Basic Hand Signals
- I need help: One arm raised straight overhead, waving slowly.
- I need immediate assistance: Both arms raised overhead, waving slowly.
Although it’s not open water, Lake Tahoe is very large, and the water can become rough quickly. As we’re heading into the winter season, storms and weather changes will become more frequent—keep that in mind. Always check the weather report, especially the winds, when entering the water. Have a charged phone or inReach device in a waterproof bag at hand so you can call for help sooner, and always wear a life jacket!
Have fun, and stay safe!
