Scientists survive high seas adventure

Deepa Bharath

NEWPORT BEACH -- Three Caltech scientists trying to collect water

samples Tuesday on a boat off Newport Harbor got a lot more of the ocean

than they anticipated.

Giant waves and powerful winds toppled their 24-foot powerboat and

left the researchers flailing in the frigid water for close to half an

hour, officials said.

The men suffered from mild hypothermia but were not injured, officials

said.

Newport Beach harbor patrol officers got a mayday call from the men’s

boat about 1 p.m. They were able to give an exact location because they

had a global positioning system on board.

“We had no further communication with them but were able to locate

them in the water about eight miles off Newport Harbor,” Harbor Master

Marty Kasules said.

Three deputies and a Coast Guard helicopter set off on the rescue

operation.

Kasules said the men’s bright orange life jackets caught the eye of

the helicopter pilot. He also spotted the capsized boat 300 yards away

from them, he said.

“We had 4- to 5-foot waves and winds gusting up to 30 mph,” Kasules

said. “We could not have spotted them if not for their life jackets.”

The scientists were identified as Jeff Adkins, 33, of Altadena, and

Diego Fernandez, 41, and Jeff Mendez, 24, both of Pasadena. The men were

on a routine visit to Kerckoff Marine Laboratory, an affiliate of

Caltech, based in Corona del Mar.

They were brought back to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department

harbor patrol base in Newport Beach, Kasules said.

“They felt much better after a long, hot shower, coffee and changing

into dry clothes,” he said.

They were later checked by paramedics and released, Kasules said.

None of the researchers was available for comment Tuesday afternoon.

But lab manager Pat Leahy said it was an “extremely unpleasant

experience” for the scientists.

He said the ocean is deceptive on windy days because it looks glassy

and calm by the shore, but gets choppy and wild away from the harbor.

“I guess they did not know that when they started out,” Leahy said.

“But I’m sure they do now.”

The men had a cell phone, as well as the global positioning system, on

the boat, he added.

“The GPS saved their lives because they could tell the officers their

exact position,” Leahy said.

Kasules said Newport Harbor has had additional staffing since 3 a.m.

Tuesday, when a wind advisory went into effect.

“These Santa Ana winds are pretty common during November and

December,” he said.

Small crafts, such as the one the scientists were in, are advised to

stay away from the high seas during this time, Kasules said.

The National Weather Service in San Diego had issued a wind advisory

beginning 10 p.m. Monday and lasting through 11 a.m. today, meteorologist

Noel Isla said.

“We expect winds of up to 17 mph away from the coast [Tuesday night],”

he said. “We expect the winds to subside [Wednesday].”

-- Deepa Bharath covers public safety and courts. She may be reached

at (949) 574-4226 or by e-mail at o7 deepa.bharath@latimes.comf7 .