While Sturgeon Bay's inaugural Maritime Regatta was taking place in the waters off Memorial Drive there was some drama unfolding further to the north.
A fisherman had to be rescued after becoming separated from his boat off of Sherwood Point. It happened Saturday around 1 p.m.
Sgt. Carl Waterstreet of the Sturgeon Bay Police Department says there were two fishermen in the 15-foot aluminum boat and one decided to take a swim because he was hot. Waterstreet says the man got into trouble when he couldn't get back into the boat.
"It's not really a boat made for swimming or anything like that, it's a small, homemade aluminum fishing boat," says Waterstreet. "When he grabbed a hold of the side due to the current and the waves it turned sideways on him and he basically lost his grip and fell back into the water again and that's when he went into distress."
Waterstreet says the man was spotted by the captain of a local tour boat who then contacted the SBPD patrol boat.
"We were on patrol in the boat -- myself and Officer Shawn Mogen -- and the Harbor Lady knew that and called us direct on the marine channel and then we responded," says Waterstreet. He says they were able to get to the man's location in about three minutes.
Waterstreet says the Harbor Lady provided the hoist that was used to get the man out of the water and into the patrol boat. The man was not wearing a life jacket. Waterstreet says the pair did have life jackets on board but they were stowed and not accessible.
"It happened relatively quickly," says Waterstreet. "We got out there very quick and got him out of the water and into his boat and we were all on our way."
