Rowers Transported to Hospital After Grounding Crew Shell

Members of an Ocean City High School crew team rowed into 20 mph west winds with an air temperature of about 30 degrees on Wednesday afternoon. When their eight-man shell got stuck in the mud near Waterview Road in Merion Park, they ended up wading through 36-degree water to get to shore.

Nobody was injured, but seven cold and wet students were transported by two Ocean City Fire Department ambulances to Shore Medical Center as a precaution, according to Capt. Dave Weeks.

The team's shells are stored and launched from under the 34th Street Bridge, and the boat was stuck in the mud about 20 feet from shore a few blocks away, according to Ocean City Police Capt. Steven Ang.

The Fire Department responded with police to the 6:16 p.m. water rescue call and found all students on shore and a boat against the pilings at 3728 Waterview Road, according to Weeks.

He said firefighters helped secure the boat at Waterview Road and warm the rowers before transporting them. Some were released to parents.

The bay water temperature at the Bayside Center (off the 500 block of Bay Avenue) was 36 degrees at 7 p.m. Wednesday.