A call came into the Mattapoisett Police Department at 9:39 am on November 15 for a man overboard who was pulled from the cold waters of Mattapoisett Harbor after he fell out of his kayak. The kayak was modified to accept a motor and was fitted with homemade outriggers made out of crutches.
Mattapoisett Harbormaster Jill Simmons said Aiming Xu of Sharon, Massachusetts was fishing when he fell into the water. The waders he was wearing quickly filled with seawater; however, Xu was wearing a personal flotation vest that kept him afloat.
Passing fisherman Chris Parker spotted Xu in distress and rescued the man. Simmons said Xu’s body temperature was about 95 degrees when he was pulled from the water and he was mildly hypothermic.
According to Mattapoisett Police Chief Mary Lyons, EMS met Parker and Xu at the wharf where EMS workers checked Xu’s vital signs and treated him in the ambulance before he was released. Xu refused transport to the hospital.
“While he was cold, he was not injured,” said Lyons in a follow-up email.
Simmons issued a warning to all boaters in the area, and she hopes this small incident will prevent worse accidents from occurring as the weeks grow colder and winter approaches.
“If you’re not prepared to be in the water, then you shouldn’t be on the water,” said Simmons. “A sudden immersion in cold water is a life-threatening event. Cold water drains heat away from the body 25 times faster than air.”
Simmons reminded boaters to dress appropriately in dry suits and full flotation gear when heading out on the water for any reason during this time of year.
“Especially in smaller boats,” Simmons added. “When it happens, it happens in a heartbeat.”
By Jean Perry
