GLOUCESTER , MASS. (WHDH) - Gloucester Police and Harbormasters rescued a mother and son who had drifted up to three miles from the shore while paddleboarding.
On Tuesday afternoon, Gloucester dispatchers received a 911 call from a man who said that his wife and son had been blown out to see while paddleboarding out from Coffin Beach. The husband said he could no longer see his wife out on the water, and could only see his son’s silhouette.
Deputy Harbormaster Chad Johnson and intern Robert Genaway responded immediately in a Harbormaster boat. The pair found the missing mother and son within 9 minutes. The mother was about 3 miles from shore while the son was a mile and a half from shore.
Mother and son were transported back to Coffin Beach, where they reunited with their husband and father and declined medical treatment. The woman and son were stranded at sea due to an ebb tide and about 30 mph offshore winds, which would have made it impossible for them to get back to shore on their own.
“I’m grateful for the quick and skillful response from Deputy Harbormaster Johnson and our intern, who ensured that this alarming incident did not end in tragedy,” said Harbormaster Thomas Ciarametaro. “I encourage all paddleboarders, and others who intend to use watercraft off the coast, to be mindful of wind and tide conditions and to take other safety precautions.”
He reminded paddleboarders and kayakers on open waters to always wear a life vest, research wind, tide and weather conditions before setting out to sea and carrying a handheld VHF radio if possible.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)