Easter Sunday 4/20/2003
(Video clips of TV and Newspaper coverage below)
Mont met Billie and me at San Luis Pass around 9AM. After scoping things out, Mont put his kayak in about 150 yards north of the bridge. Billie and I worked the south side of the bridge from the beach. By 10:30 I had 2 nibbles and Mont rowed over to shoot the breeze.
The tide was flooding with several knots of current. Mont decided to go back out for another drift before heading home for the Easter festivities. He had no bites after several passes.
Billie and I had fixed lunch, and just as we sat down to eat a crowd, obviously distressed, moved toward us from the Gulf side. They were pointing, crying and for the most part hysterical.
It didn't take long to see why......4 bobbing heads, about 150 yards off the beach, drifting fast toward the bridge. I normally have a handheld marine VHF radio in the truck for emergencies, but not today.
As about a 100 people, in several clusters, gathered, the 4 children clinging together floated under the bridge. I yelled to Mont and he eventually sighted the problem. Billie and another fellow with a line and ring ran up the beach to assist.
I was about ready to run there myself when more shouts and screams came from the Gulf side - again. I spotted head number 5 drifting swiftly for the bridge. There was a boat anchored just off the beach so I swam to it with the intent of commandeering same. As I boarded, the owner and 2 others climbed up after me.
We got underway and I was on the bow trying to keep an eye on the 5th child. He had fallen off his float board and had gone under as we approached.
Meantime, Mont caught up with the first group and grabbed a young girl, who was going under, by the arm. He said he lost his grip on her and she went under again. This time he grabbed her by the hair and hung on tight. He drifted with her and the other 3 until another man swam out to assist. Billie, a registered nurse, waited for them on the beach.
Back at the bridge, I saw number 5 resurface directly under it, between the pilings. I looked for something to heave to him until we got closer. Nope - not one life jacket, fender or float on board. I told the owner to stand up and I grabbed his seat cushion and tossed it to the boy. He clamped onto it like an upside down crab. We caught up with him just north of the bridge where one of the others onboard jumped over with a tethered line. We hauled the child aboard where he collapsed on the deck.
I shouted over to Mont as he was nearing the beach, but he gave me a thumbs up. Billie had worked her way up there to help him. Our survivor coughed a couple of times and got up looking for his mother. I reassured him he was OK and mom was on the beach. As we approached the beach I gave the thumbs up to the, by now, hundreds of people. A very distraught woman waded out and asked if we had four children. I said we had one and pointed up the beach toward Mont who had the four she was seeking.
One of my party took our survivor ashore to the waiting family. Think that was enough for one day? Nope.
As I walked back to the truck, another commotion broke out back toward the Gulf. I could see heads number 7 and 8 about 50 yards off the beach. The guys in the truck next to us ran out with a raft and line. They managed to haul these 2 in. By this time, beach rescue, EMS, county and local police arrived.
EMS loaded up one ambulance and called for a second. I walked over to tell the police they should clear people out of the water as the crowds obviously did not appreciate the dangerous rip and tide situation. Then Galveston beach rescue came over about the time Mont, Billie, the guy next to me that rescued 2 came over.
As we were relating the events of the past 30 minutes - my God how time stood still as I felt it had been hours - assuring everyone was accounted for, the beach rescue guy ran for his truck and started grabbing his gear. Yep, heads 8 and 9 were bobbing around the point. He got to them just as they regained their footing.
Within 30 seconds the police were all over the beach, lights flashing, hailers blasting "get out of the water". We stayed long enough to give our names and addresses to the rescue teams as they had requested. 1 hour had now elapsed.
Mont headed home for the Easter egg hunt after calling Stacy to tell her what happened. Billie and I headed back to the hotel, as I was soaked and ready for a hot shower.
Ahhhhhhhhh, what a day at the beach. 9 keepers between 7 and 12 years of age, released alive to their families.
The TV interview was with Monty the following day:
Warning signs replaced near San Luis Pass
By Jerry UrbanThe Daily News
Published April 28, 2003
GALVESTON — Responding to a surge in rescues on Easter Sunday, the Galveston County Beach Patrol moved quickly to replace warning signs near the Galveston end of the San Luis Pass toll bridge.Between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday, there were at least nine people reported to have been rescued after they were caught in strong tidal currents. No one lost their lives or was seriously injured.
“It’s extremely dangerous,” said Beach Patrol Assistant Director Peter Davis about the waters in the area of the bridge.In 2001, the beach patrol spent about $3,000 for warning signs in the San Luis Pass area and for signs on the East End near the Houston Ship Channel.
However, most of the signs near the San Luis Pass bridge were used by the public as firewood or were otherwise lost to the elements, said Davis, adding only two signs remained at the bridge when the rescues occurred.Five new signs were put up in the area on Friday and two signs were replaced on the East End near Big Reef Park. The signs cost more than $1,100. Officials said the signs would have been replaced soon even if the multiple rescues had not occurred on Easter Sunday.
Monty Weeks of League City and Dan New of Rockwall were among those making rescues on Easter Sunday. Weeks was in a kayak, fishing at the time, while New was fishing along the shore. The men said they rescued seven people, six children and one adult caught in the fickle tidal currents. The rescues started after three children went into the water after a beach ball, said Weeks, adding brothers and sisters and then adults went in, apparently trying to help, but they got swept away.
In a note on the Internet about the rescues, Weeks, a co-owner an air conditioning, heating and electrical company, wrote:“I knew there was a reason I wanted to fish San Luis Pass this morning, knew there was a reason to chase down a big blue beach ball in the waves, winds and currents, but found out the real reason after I got there. It was a true Easter miracle, that I experienced first hand.
”Davis said he had confirmed five rescues, including the rescues of two adults by a beach patrol supervisor. At least a couple of the people Davis confirmed as being rescued might have been among those rescued by Weeks and New. It such emergency situations it’s often difficult to say exactly how many people are rescued. For example, some rescuers or the people they rescue just walk off without talking to authorities.
Davis said he’s uncertain what it will take to keep people out of the water near the bridge, where West Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico.State open beach laws prohibit the closing of the area to swimmers. Vic Maceo, the director of the beach patrol, said authorities can use warning signs and encourage people to swim at other locations where lifeguards are stationed.
“At this point I don’t know if there’s anything else we can do,” said Maceo, adding it’s not practical to have a lifeguard station at the bridge.Maceo emphasized that the bridge is some 20 miles from Galveston proper, though technically in the city limits, and most people swim between East Beach and 61st Street.There’s an average of two people drowned a year on the Galveston side of the bridge, said Maceo, and some five confirmed rescues and untold numbers of unreported rescues each year.
Maceo said the Brazoria County side of the bridge is as dangerous or more so. Emergency personnel in Brazoria County typically handle water-related emergencies on that side of the bridge, said Maceo.Maceo added that Weeks and New should be commended for their efforts on Sunday. “He and his partner really did save lives,” said Maceo. “If it weren’t for them, some of those children would have been lost.”
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