Department of Natural Resources helps save boat during storm

Jul 23, 2019

Wareham’s Department of Natural Resources went to the aid of a vessel in distress during Tuesday night’s storm.

At about 10:30 p.m., the department responded to a report that a vessel named “S/V Impeccable Chaos” was taking on water in Marion waters. Wareham assisted as a member of the Buzzards Bay Task Force, a mutual aid group of Harbormasters, police, and fire departments that respond to vessels in distress, search and rescues, and other maritime emergencies.

Department of Natural Resources officers were deployed on Marine Units 1 and 2 and headed out to search for the vessel.

“Impeccable Chaos” was able to share its GPS coordinates with the task force, and crews on the troubled “Chaos” were instructed to light a flare and flash the spreader lights to make it easier for responders to locate them in the storm.

The vessel was located just outside of Woods Hole in Falmouth, and was not, in fact, taking on any water.

The night’s severe weather had torn the vessel’s sails, and the rough conditions prompted the crews to call for help.

By 11:40 p.m., the vessel was being escorted back to the Marion Harbor by the Marion Harbormaster Department, Wareham DNR, Marion and Mattapoisett Fire Department’s and the United States Coast Guard.

The crew aboard “Impeccable Chaos” was uninjured.

A Facebook post from the department noted that “Mariners in our area should have peace of mind knowing that when incidents and emergencies occur on the water in Buzzards Bay, a group of professionals will always be there when they need help.”