Page 52 - Discover Summer 2021

U nd e r T o w C O NTINUED
What’s Up Doc? CONTINUED

not even the (distant) glow of lights from The accident that Barry will always
Roanoke, which you can typically see on remember happened some years ago. Karl

a clear night.” Certainly such a situation Martin, the first DGIF (Department of
would awaken your senses! Game and Inland Fisheries) officer to

work on the Lake and is now retired was
One late night, Rick and Nancy
investigating the accident. Barry was called
got a call to help a stranded craft that ran
to salvage the boat. “When I got there,”
aground far up the Roanoke River. It is
he said, “Karl was on his hands and knees
a rescue they will always remember. The
inside the boat looking for fingers.” It
debris from Long Island to Bay Rock was
seems that the operator of the boat was
so bad and visibility so poor Nancy had
traveling at a high speed during the night
to hang off the boat with a spot light and
when he hit a log. The force of the impact
alert Rick to floating hazards by blowing
ripped off the outboard motor and sent
a whistle she wore around her neck. It
it airborne and right into the lap of his
was freezing cold and a heavy cloud layer
unfortunate passenger, taking three of his
obscured any light from stars or moon. It
fingers in the process. At least the two men
was the perfect setting for a catastrophe.
weren’t killed.
“At one point We saw a large
Another night Barry received a call
section of someone’s dock float past us,”
from a DGIF officer who had arrested the
Rick said, “and there were big tree limbs
operator of a boat for drunkenness. He
and wood all over the place.” It was an
needed Barry to tow the boat back to its
agonizingly slow and frigid journey as they
point of origin which was the State park.
crept along at 5 to 6 MPH. They had to
There was a second man on board also
weave between giant logs that were often
under the influence. So, although he was
partially submerged and hidden by smaller
not arrested since he was not operating
twigs, branches and leaves from the floors
the vessel, he was, of course, not allowed to
of wooded areas.“We aren’t going to risk
pilot it. He was allowed to remain in the
damaging our boat,” Rick says, “then we
boat being towed. As Barry headed toward
would have two stranded boats.” This
the State park, the man suddenly jumped
sometimes frustrates their customers who
up and began waving and shouting. “You’re
are either freezing or sweltering, but always
going the wrong way!” Barry knew he was
impatient to be saved. “What took so
headed in the correct direction so he shook
long?” is a question they are often asked...
his head but there was no convincing the
even when it’s the middle of night in a rain
inebriated man, who then began jumping
storm.
up and down and frantically waving his
50 Discover Smith Mountain Lake SUMMER 2021