1st a bit of advice........If you are doing anything in/on the water whether it be swimming, boating, even fishing, Have someone else with you or watching you and/or some form of communication device other than a waving arm (mirror, light, handheld VHF). I'll get back to this part later.
My friend and I set out after work. Decided on the highlands bridge to try for some tog and schoolies. Tossed by bag of favorite lures but no action. My friend was getting bites on green crabs but couldn't lock into them good enough to land. Ran out of crabs so went to the nearest shop south but they didn't have any crabs. Took a ride to Rumson boat ramp and tossed lures. Had something smack my popper twice but that was all. Had a couple bunker left so we hit Bayshore waterfront park.
Now comes the interesting part which alludes to the advice in the beginning of this post. I forgot my rods at the car so I had to walk back and get them. On the way back out on the pier, I see a kite surfer hit the water pretty good (nothing out of the normal. it happens a lot) Now the winds were fair when we got there and started picking up. Another person was on the pier and after a while she came over and asked us if she should call about the kite surfer because she hadn't seen any movement since it's been in her line of vision. Mind you, I haven't seen any movement either since I saw the kite go down. After a few minutes of deciding who to call, she contacts 911 and it goes to NYC dispatch. They forward the call. After a pretty lengthy phone call and a few more minutes later I hear the first siren. Then I assume the officer arrived in the parking lot since now there a woman running down the pier fearing for her other. Still not seeing any movement other than the kite drifting in the wind. One of the officers flashed his light on/off a few times and after the 2nd time, I saw the guy wave his arm. We did also flash a headlight before we called but probably wasn't bright enough to get his attention. Rescue boat was enroute and once it was about 1/2mi away, the guy was able to get up and get to land. Of course this all happened on a day neither pair of binoculars or my spotting scope aren't in my car
