Photo by McKibben Jackinsky United States Coast Guard Auxiliarist Craig Forrest of Homer (left) listens as Mike Ottmann of Prescott, Az., (right) describes how his 17-foot Stabi-Caft began taking on water on Cook Inlet. Stacy Luck of the Homer Police Department and Nigel Knoy of Prescott Az., a passenger on Ottman's skiff, listen in.

In addition to Walli, other responders included the Alaska State Troopers, U.S. Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary, and other nearby mariners.

"It's the best catch I ever caught," Walli said of being in the right place at the right time.

No stranger to the dangers of Alaska water, Walli grew up on Cook Inlet and is a captain for Crowley Maritime Corporation, for whom he has worked since 1968.

After launching from Anchor Point Wednesday afternoon, Ottmann and the Knoys found a spot about five miles offshore, in about 192 feet of water that they thought might be a good spot to try for halibut.

"We got to a point that looked good to fish and dropped the anchor," Nigel Knoy said.

No sooner had they let down the anchor than water began filling the stern of the skiff. With water coming in, the three immediately began to pull the anchor and head for shore.

"When we started to pull the anchor, the line tangled in the prop so we cut the line," Ottmann said told the Homer News.

Lacking a radio, and with water continuing to fill the vessel, Ottmann used his cell phone to dial 911. That connected him to the State Troopers, who, in turn, contacted the Coast Guard. A poor cell phone connection garbled the communication, leaving some question as to the three men's exact location. It was enough, however, to make it clear an emergency existed.

"Once we knew about it, we put out an urgent marine broadcast, letting everyone in the area know about the situation," said Lt., Luann Kehlenbach, with USCG Sector Anchorage.

The Coast Guard launched its C-130 Hercules aircraft and an HM-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Kodiak.

Dan Cole, commander of the USCG Auxiliary in Homer, also was notified. As fate would have it, Cole happened to be standing next to his charter sportfishing partner, Mike "Bart" Bartholomew, a friend of Walli's, when Cole received the notification call.

"The (coordinates) were right where Steve Walli was fishing. Bart and I knew that because we'd talked to him earlier in the day," Cole said. "Bart called Steve and asked if he'd check out the (latitude-longitude) and see if he could see anything. Turned out (Walli) was only a mile away."

As Walli was making his way to the scene, Cole contacted Craig and Gayle Forrest, members of the auxiliary in Homer, and alerted them of the situation. The Forrests, owners of Tech Connect, grabbed their gear bags, told their staff good-bye and raced to Homer Harbor to launch the auxiliary's 27-foot SAFE Boat and head for Ottmann and the Knoys.

An Alaska State Trooper helo that happened to be in the area working another mission also responded. Hovering over the swamped skiff with the three men still aboard, the helo crew lowered a harness to begin a rescue.

"We're not designed to hoist people into helicopters like the Coast Guard does, but life takes priority and that's the only resource we had," said Sgt. Arthur Dunn with Alaska State Troopers' Detachment E in Anchor Point. "They only rescue system we have is that harness; basically, they take you over to land."

Not designed to hoist an individual into the helo, the harness does lift a person out of harm's way and allow for transportation to a point of safety.

Ottmann slipped the harness around his shoulders and had been lifted approximately four feet above the water, when he appeared to change his mind.

"For whatever reason, he elected to let himself out of the harness," said Dunn, who received an account of the incident from the trooper on scene. "He physically took his arms out of the harness where his body could fall and he fell a short distance."

Having not had an opportunity to interview Ottmann or the Knoys afterwards, Ottmann's action remains a mystery.

"The trooper (in the helo) couldn't figure out why he did what he elected to do," Dunn said. "He wasn't dropped by the troopers. He physically removed himself from the harness. It was a deliberate movement. The troopers told him not to do it. ... The gentleman, for whatever reason, was not willing to do what they were asking him to do. He just flat pulled himself from the harness. ... The trooper was shocked about it."

Ottmann's four-foot fall into the water came as Walli arrived on scene, directed to the spot by the hovering helo.

Having not seen Ottmann, Walli focused his attention on the Knoys who were still in the water-filled skiff.

"Somebody yelled, 'There's a guy in the water,' so then I changed my tactic and went to that guy," Walli said.

Within seconds the people aboard Walli's boat had Ottmann out of Cook Inlet's frigid water and aboard the Misty. As soon as the Knoys were retrieved, Walli headed to Homer, where members of the Homer Volunteer Fire Department, Homer Police Department, Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary and a representative of the Homer Harbormaster's office awaited their arrival.

Ed Dersham of Anchor Point towed the water-filled Stabi-Craft back to Anchor Point.

In a brief on-dock interview with the Homer News, Ottmann and the Knoys acknowledged they had life jackets, but were not wearing them in the skiff.

Where were the lifejackets?

"In the pickup," Ottmann said.

The absence of life jackets was the biggest concern to the Coast Guard. Alaska law requires a USCG-approved life jacket in serviceable condition be present for each person onboard.

"You know how cold the water is up here," Lt. Kehlenbach said. "Not having life jackets, the chances of people surviving get lower and lower because of the cold water response. When you hit the cold water, it's automatic for you to inhale. When you do, you inhale a bunch of cold water."

Although the absence of life jackets is a violation of state law, no citation will be forthcoming.

"The Coast Guard has jurisdiction only if we witness a vessel underway," Kehlenbach said. "So this was more of an education. They didn't have life jackets, which added to the urgency to get there as soon as possible."

On Thursday, Ottmann and the Knoys towed the Stabi-Craft back to Ron's Honda Center in Soldotna, w here Ottmann had purchased the skiff and motor earlier in the week.

"In this instance the boat did exactly what it was designed to do, it didn't go down," said Travis Swanson, manager of Ron's Honda Center.

So what did happen?

"They launched without putting the plugs in the boat," Swanson said of what he learned from his conversation with Ottmann. "When they accelerated (after launching) it drained. It's a self-draining boat, that's what it's designed to do. When they dropped off step (slowed down), it continued filling up and go to the point where they had water in the boat. ... There was enough water to where they kind of freaked out and had some motor issues and the motor died and, consequently, it was towed back. But the boat did exactly what it was supposed to do -- not sink."

Swanson said Ottmann and the Knoys planned to relaunch the boat.

"Thing happen on the water. That's just part of being on the ocean," Swanson said. "They were in a boat that let them come home."

In the aftermath of Wednesday's emergency, the Coast Guard praised Wednesday's fast response.

"It was really a team effort -- the State Troopers, Coast Guard, all the good Samaritans willing to help out -- to make this a success," Kehlenbach said.

Dunn urged mariners to have the safety items required onboard before heading out on the water.

"They were under stress, in defense of them, but folks need to make sure they have the proper equipment," Dunn said. "Nothing's a guarantee. That's a risk we take playing on the ocean. But if you don't respect it, it will kill you."

"They were in a pretty bad situation," Walli said. "But it actually turned into a great situation. It's the best catch I've had in my life. That's about as good a way to put it as I know."

For a list of summery of safety boating equipment required by Alaska law, see the Web at www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/boating/index.htm. For a free vessel safety check to ensure the necessary equipment is present, contact Tom Youngblood with the Coast Guard Auxiliary Homer Flotilla at 226-2149 or contact a local qualified examiner on the Web at safetyseal.net/getvsc/.

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.