Kayaker, fishermen credited with saving lives on Totten Inlet

By Jeremy Pawloski | The Olympian • Published May 07, 2008

Scott Ferris was out on his back deck with his wife and 8-year-old son Wednesday afternoon when he thought he heard voices yelling out for help out on Totten Inlet.

A 10-foot boat carrying two men had just sunk, said Griffin Fire District 13 Deputy Chief Chuck Hennigan. Both suffered hypothermia after spending 40 minutes out on the water wearing floatation devices, but were saved by the quick actions of Ferris -- who sprang into action on his kayak -- and two commercial fishermen on a boat with Taylor Shellfish.

Ferris and the commercial fishermen on the Taylor Shellfish boat each separately rescued both of the men, Hennigan said. Both men were taken to Providence St. Peter Hospital, he said.

Ferris told the story of his rescue after he returned to shore.

Ferris said when he was out on his deck, he looked out with his binoculars and saw two heads bobbing above the choppy water and called 9-1-1. But he didn’t wait for Griffin Fire to arrive; he grabbed his kayak and went out to try and make a rescue.

“I figured I had a chance to get out there faster than anybody else,” Ferris said.

About 20 minutes later, Griffin Fire Lt. Skip Nichols told an exhausted Ferris that his actions saved the man’s life.

“He just went out on a kayak and rescued that kid, bless his heart,” he said.

For more information, see Page A1 in Thursday's Olympian.