6th Person in Week Drowns Off Monterey

A 70-year-old man became the sixth person in a week to drown in high surf off Monterey County, when waves capsized his son’s boat, authorities said Sunday.

Robert Davis of Pacific Grove was a passenger on a 17-foot Boston whaler owned by his son, Robert Davis Jr., 45, of Pebble Beach on Saturday and was attempting to assist another boat in trouble about 20 feet from the shoreline.

The other vessel, the 24-foot Scoo-Ba with four people aboard, developed engine trouble and drifted near the surf line.

Moved in to Help

The Scoo-Ba had dropped anchor and was bobbing up and down in the surf when the younger Davis eased his boat close in an effort to help.

“Davis pulled up, threw him a short line and tried to pull him out of danger,” Coast Guard Petty Officer Matt Wentzler said.

“The Scoo-Ba never cut its anchor, and then the next thing you knew a big wave came along and pushed the Boston whaler directly up and down, almost vertical,” throwing the younger Davis from the boat, Wentzler said.

A second wave capsized his boat. Rescuers pulled the younger Davis from the water but were unable to find his father until later, after he had drowned, the Coast Guard said.

Earlier Tragedies

Five other drownings had occurred along the stretch of ocean near Monterey in one week, officials said.

On Friday, Lisla Glocki, 27, of Reno, Nev., drowned while scuba diving off Lover’s Point. On July 5, a Pakistani couple and their 15-year-old son died after they were swept from the rocks by 10-foot waves at Monastery Beach south of Carmel. Their 11-year-old daughter was pulled from the water but died at a hospital.