NEWPORT — The Coast Guard safely towed a whale watching vessel with 49 passengers aboard after it became disabled while on the Yaquina Bay bar Wednesday.
The Coast Guard said the captain of the 62-foot Discovery, operated by Marine Discovery Tours, sent out a mayday call about 12:45 p.m. after the vessel began producing excessive smoke and lost propulsion while in between the Yaquina Bay jetties.
The Coast Guard said it sent two 47-foot motor lifeboats crews from its Yaquina Bay station and arrived within eight minutes of the call.
The two lifeboats towed the Discovery into the harbor where the Newport Fire Department and Pacific West Ambulance crews were waiting. The vessel was moored at 1:30 p.m., the Coast Guard said.
There was no fire aboard the vessel and there were no medical issues, the Coast Guard said, and all first responders left by 2 p.m.
“We launched two boats due to the number of passengers on board and the severity of the incident,” Petty Officer 1st Class Nathan Kapsar said in the Coast Guard’s news release. “This rescue highlights the importance of our interagency relationships. Station members train for incidents such as this, and we’re glad that we were able to get everyone back safely.”
The Coast Guard said coastal bars are a navigational hazard formed where river currents meet the ocean. Sand and sediment from the river build up at its mouth, creating a shallow, underwater barrier.
“The interaction of these opposing currents and the ocean swell creates turbulent and unpredictable water conditions,” the Coast Guard said. “Waves and strong currents can capsize a boat if it is not handled correctly, especially when caught broadside to the waves.”
I highly recommend you go out on the Discovery to understand how much more than just a whale watching adventure it is…truly!