Boat 4 Participates In Standby While Swimmers Cross the Potomac

On 5/30, MSU-4 and Boat 4 departed the firehouse around 0700 and headed toward Point Lookout to standby for the annual Potomac River Swim. The Potomac River Swim is an annual event in which swimmers from all over the country come to Point Lookout to swim across the mouth of the Potomac River. The swimmers depart from Point Lookout and travel by skipjack to Hull Neck, VA.
Boat 4 launched around 0730 and crossed the river with the skipjack and other whalers that were there to assist the swimmers and kayakers that would be accompanying them. The course was going to be led back by the skipjack, which the swimmers would follow. Ambulance 499 would stay on shore in the event of an emergency on shore. The swim kicked off about 0815. Some swimmers were using wet-suits, while others just used bathing suits. Boat 4, along with the Maryland Natural Resources Police, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, United States Coast Guard and Department of Natural Resources patrolled the swim area, making sure swimmers were making progress and all were OK.
The first swimmer crossed the finish line in three hours and twenty seven minutes. There were a total of 31 swimmers. Boat traffic in the area was pretty low until about two hours after the swim started. Boaters who wanted to enter or leave the Potomac were first tried to be contacted through marine band radio. If contact was failed to be made, Boat 4 or one of the other USCG, NRP or DNR boats would make contact face to face with the boaters. The boaters were then escorted safely through the swim zone. Boats ranged from sailboats to powerboats to a very, very large barge that would've made a bad day for any swimmer or kayaker in the path.
The day was uneventful, which was good for the swimmers. The swim was called about 1500 hours due to an impending storm. The Boat 4 crew consisted of:

Operator: Deputy Chief Ray Mercure
Officer: Chief Bruce Raley
Firefighter David Morris

Photos courtesy of Rescue Captain Mike Wilson, Co.6