A Coast Guard Station Port Angeles boatcrew assisted in the rescue of 40 kids and six adults who were stranded at Camp David on Lake Crescent, Friday.
Coast Guard crewmembers aboard a 29-foot Response Boat-Small II safely ferried groups of seven to nine passengers from Camp David to a bus waiting at Marymere Falls trailhead.
Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector Puget Sound received a call at 3:45 p.m., reporting the group stranded in a cabin with no power and unable to drive out of the camp due to trees blocking the roads. Each trip between the camp and the trailhead took more than 50 minutes and with six trips needed, the Port Angeles boatcrew worked for more than seven hours to get everyone to safety.
The kids, whose ages ranged from 13 to 14 years old, were on an annual school trip from Stevens Middle School, out of Port Angeles.
"This case highlights the flexibility and professionalism of our rescue crews," said Chief Petty Officer Philip Ketcheson, officer in charge at Coast Guard Station Port Angeles. "The crews ability to quickly respond to the request for assistance helped ensure the safety of everyone involved and helped them return home."