Six people and two dogs were rushed to safety after rough seas forced them to be rescued Saturday in the Rosario Strait, west of Anacortes.
The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) told KOMO News it received a mayday call from a 37-foot cabin cruiser, taking on water near Decatur Island with six people and two dogs on board.
The mayday call came amid nasty weather. The USCG reported 20-knot winds sustained with 30-knot gale force gusts and 4-6-foot seas.
According to the USCG, the mayday caller reported the windshield of the 37-foot boat blew out. This distress call reached the USCG Bellingham station just before 1 p.m., and a crew immediately launched in a 45-foot rescue boat medium (45 RB-M).