Boaters ran out of gas; were stranded until high tide

FOLLY BEACH - Rescue crews had to wait hours for higher tides to bring a stranded couple to shore Wednesday after their boat ran out of gas near Folly Beach, authorities said.

The 21-year-old woman and 20-year-old man had been out in a 14-foot johnboat when they got stuck on Rat Island Creek on Tuesday night, Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Jeffery Price said. The Coast Guard received its first call for help around 10 p.m.

A Charleston County Sheriff's Office helicopter spotted the boat and a Sheriff's Office boat tried to reach them in the morning, but got stuck, authorities said.

Folly Beach Public Safety Sgt. Pedro McTeer said dispatchers received a new call around 9:30 a.m. from a resident who was at home and noticed a woman in a nearby marsh waving a red handkerchief. With the tide rising, a Folly Beach officer on a personal watercraft was able to reach the couple and bring her to a Charleston County Volunteer Rescue Squad boat.

The woman, a Hanahan resident, arrived at the Folly Beach boat landing around noon and the man, a James Island resident, about an hour later, McTeer said. Deputies helped tow the man, his dog and his boat back to shore. Paramedics evaluated the couple and found nothing wrong.

Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com