A report of a sailboat in distress off Park Point on Friday afternoon prompted a response by the U.S. Coast Guard, Duluth Fire Department, St. Louis County Rescue Squad, Gold Cross Ambulance and other agencies, but the occupants of the boat did not require assistance and safely returned to shore on their own.
Laura Francis and Jake Boyce of Duluth guided their sailboat to shore amid crashing waves on Park Point near the 12th Street / Tot Lot parking lot. Rescue crews had responded to Park Point and Canal Park at about 4:30 p.m. after a caller reported a boat in distress.
Although the waves buffeted the boat and caused it to capsize several times, Boyce and Francis were wearing wet suits and were able to right the small craft as they returned to the beach. Winds at the time on Park Point were out of the northeast at 25 mph gusting to about 30 mph, with an air temperature of 41 degrees.
