Mills Racers Encounter Challenging Weather

The overnight Mills Race from Toledo, Ohio, to Put-in-Bay at South Bass Island met with hardships due to weather conditions and mechanical failures.  Strong northeasterly winds put stress on sailboat rigging, contributing to one boat’s loss of a backstay.  Two vessels entered the harbor with motor issues and requested towing service.  Middle Bass Ferry, “Sonny-S,” captain Tom Parrot reported monitoring a man-overboard rescue call to the Coast Guard sometime around 1:30 A.M. this morning.  A USCG Sector Detroit S&R helicopter was in the vicinity of South Bass Island and Catawba a half hour later.  The Coast Guard, as of this writing, has not released information related to this.  A USCG helicopter also was seen circling above Put-in-Bay at 7:33 A.M. this morning.