The Graveyard of the Atlantic is trying to claim another victim, after a shrimp trawler grounded off Southern Shores in rough seas Tuesday morning and four members of its crew were airlifted by a Coast Guard helicopter.
The F/V Bald Eagle II, a 78-foot-long steel hulled trawler from Wanchese, washed into the breakers off East Dogwood Trail in Southern Shores around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday after first running into engine trouble and then a net snagged the propeller.
Despite dropping anchor, the boat drifted southward to near Dolphin Run by 9 a.m. and then came to rest near Trout Run in the vicinity “Y” intersection of N.C. 12 and Ocean Trail by midday where it remains for now.
Winds were out of the north at 20 to 25 knots, with wave heights of 4 to 6 feet at the nearby Duck Pier. High tide was at 9:30 a.m.
“The water temperature near Southern Shores is currently 56 degrees, which is dangerous had these four men not been prepared,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Hall, operations unit controller for Sector North Carolina. “Fortunately, these men were wearing survival suits to prevent hypothermia when our rescue helicopter arrived.”
Video shot by Kristine Kiousis shows a Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter from Station Elizabeth City lifting a rescue swimmer and a crewmember from the F/V Bald Eagle II out of the surf.
Video courtesy Katie Morgan:
“We are coordinating with the vessel’s owner with a plan for freeing the vessel,” said Petty Officer First Class Stephen Lehmann with U.S. Coast Guard Fifth District Public Affairs.
Video courtesy Frankie Powers:
The grounded shrimp trawler has drifted to south of Trout Run in Southern Shores near the "Y" on NC 12 pic.twitter.com/BiiyvzGfoY
— Sam Walker OBX Today🎙📻📰 (@SamWalkerOBX) December 7, 2021
5:30 p.m.: M/V Bald Eagle II has held position south of Trout Run in Southern Shores this afternoon, high tide is around 10 p.m. Once onshore flow weakens, should be able to get it towed out. pic.twitter.com/alBXQajTbM
— Sam Walker OBX Today🎙📻📰 (@SamWalkerOBX) December 8, 2021
The F/V Jonathan Ryan was able to be towed back to sea without incident later in the afternoon.