Two California college students rescued after getting stranded on boat made of buckets, kiddie pools
Points for creativity, less so for engineering prowess.
Two California college students had to be rescued from the Pacific Ocean early Saturday morning near Isla Vista aboard a handcrafted boat made of 20 Home Depot buckets, two plastic kiddie pools, plywood and duct tape, Santa Barbara County Fire Department spokesman Mike Eliason told Noozhawk.
“The tide kept pushing them further and further from shore,” Eliason said.
The men, both in their early 20s, had a single paddle but no wetsuits to handle the 55-degree water temperatures. Instead, photos showed one in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt and another in just shorts.
Fire department rescuers reached them about 300 yards from the shore just after 2:30 a.m.
It’s unclear why the men were in the water that late but officials said alcohol was not a factor, officials said.
Neither man reported any injuries.
