By Jim Bloch
Two alert dock workers at the St. Clair Boat Harbor recently pulled a man to safety who had fallen into the Pine River and was being swept downriver.
The man was life-long St. Clair resident Butch Kuhn.
At the regular meeting of the city council June 2, Braden Kimberly and Jack Valuet, both 18. received certificates of appreciation from harbor master Dave Shorkey and a packet of gift certificates to local businesses from council member and harbor commissioner Mitch Kuffa for their rescue efforts. Kimberly has worked two seasons at the harbor and Valuet one season.
The rescue took place Saturday, May 17 while the Marbleye Tournament was in progress. Thirty-six hours earlier, a storm had blown through the area, knocking out power to a number of homes south of the River Crab restaurant.
“There were some torrential rains,” said Shorkey, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on YouTube. “The Pine River runs about 30 miles out into the country.”
The wash from the storm caused the current in the river to pick up speed.
“On that day, there was also about a 20-mile-an-hour southwest wind, so it was really pushing the Pine River,” Shorkey. “One of our seasonal boaters, a local gentleman, his boat came from River’s Bend, and he tied it up at dock number one, his seasonal spot. Unfortunately, about an hour later, the gentleman ended up in the water.”
Kuhn said he slipped on his boat’s ladder and fell into the water.
Valuet and Kimberley were busy cleaning the weather curtain at Pavilion #1.
“They heard a call for assistance,” said Shorkey. “They went in two different directions. Jack spotted the man in the water. Braden went to our kayak launch while Jack went into the cabinet to get the paddles and life jackets, and they paddled out.”
The young men were able to pull Kuhn into the kayak and get him to shore.
“That’s considered a ‘life-save’ in Coast Guard terms,” said Shorkey.
The harbor master reflected on rewards and responsibilities of his job.
“I’ve had the pleasure of being the harbor master for about seven-and-a-half years,” said Shorkey. “One of the most enjoyable portions of my position is the hiring of the staff. We usually have about a dozen dock attendants there, usually from the age of 16-19. Occasionally, we’ll get a 20-year-old. To watch the young people grow in that position, it’s really an honor. Everybody thinks the harbor position is pretty easy. You wear short pants and dock boats and you’re in the sun most of the time. But they learn to clean bathrooms and a lot of duties people don’t like to do. One thing we discuss every day at the harbor is safety.”
Boating is fun, said Shorkey. But dangers abound.
“These guys really did an exemplary feat the other day,” said Shorkey. “
The audience applauded.
“Be on time for work tomorrow,” Shorkey told the boys.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
