Last weekend during a JV regatta, two teens landed in the water after their boat flipped. The other boats started to pull away and with winds above 20 mph and the water temperature around 50 degrees, the situation was going downhill quick.
Harbor Master Beth Mauk said the quick action of one of her employees saved the lives of those two teens.
"After the third call, I decided to lock up the office, get on the boat as quick as possible," said Andrew Patterson.
He headed out to help the struggling sailors.
"So it was right in between mooring 30 and the Chart House right out here in the harbor. Right in the middle of the channel here," Patterson said. "They were trying to flip the boat back up and after a few attempts they couldn't do it. They didn't have enough body weight to do it and the wind was pushing them toward the Chart House. So they looked fatigued."
And it's not by accident that Patterson was so proficient in the rescue. In December, 22 people went overboard in the Severn River. That accident convince the harbor master to give her crew emergency and rescue training. She says her staff is trained in first aid and CPR and they're all excellent boat operators.
There are at least two people who are happy Patterson was trained.
"I was happy to help them out. Annapolis High School is my alma mater and that's where those kids were from," Patterson said.
