WILLARD BAY, Utah — Recreators at Willard Bay all came together Saturday to help each other's boats off the water when a sudden storm whipped high-speed winds.
The water at Willard Bay looks calm now, but Saturday was a different story.
"We were just sitting out there listening to music visiting with our friends and a ranger came up and said, 'You guys might want to go in we're supposed to get 50 to 60 mile per hour winds'," recalled boater, Louanne Daz.
Daz says she and her group slowly started making their way in, but the storm had already picked up by the time they got to the inlet.
"The whole inlet was just full of boats and waves and people trying to control their craft and people trying to load their boats, the boats were going horizontal to the trailer," Daz said.
That's when Daz says multiple people of all ages got in the water to help her and many others get their boats to safety. Louanne gets choked up just thinking about these stranger's generosity.
"I didn't know any of them and they were willing to stand out there in that and help everybody get their boats on their trailer safely so we could all get out of here," Daz said.
Louanne says in her 30 years at Willard Bay she's never experienced wind or waves like that.
"We are not a deep reservoir so when the wind kicks up our waves will pick up their magnitude really quickly," said Willard Bay State Park Assistant Manager and Law Enforcement Ranger, Porter Daniels. "This last weekend we had waves about four to five feet specifically and that's going to be the biggest hazard to most of our recreational boats."
Daniels says any time you're on the water and see a storm approaching it's best to return to dry land.
"People push the envelope they will stay out longer and try to get one more wakeboard run in, it's better to be safe than sorry," Daniels said.
Before you head out on the water, you're also encouraged to check the weather but be prepared for anything by having your life jacket and safety equipment. Louanne says in Saturday's unexpected storm she used all of hers, but her biggest saving grace was all those strangers for who she has a message for now: "You're amazing, thank you, it was great."
