Two watermen whose boat capsized in the Mobjack Bay off Big Island Monday morning managed to make their way to the island, where they were rescued by Abingdon Volunteer Fire and Rescue.

Abingdon spokesman Robert Parlett said the men were hauling nets in a blowing wind when their boat swamped.

A dozen volunteers from AVRS responded on the call, and the squad’s boat was able to get to the men "pretty quickly," said Parlett, adding that they were clothed in layers and weren’t suffering from hypothermia so they didn’t require transportation to a medical facility.

On Saturday afternoon, two canoeists stranded in mud in the Severn River got a hand from AVFR after an observer noticed their plight and called for help. Firefighters tossed them a line that they tied to the bow of the canoe for a pull to shore, said Parlett. He said the two weren’t in distress and were waiting for high tide, but were glad to get out of the mud.

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