On Labor Day, 2007, an emergency call came in to the Safe/Sea Response Center from the S/V Pilgrim. The S/V Pilgrim, a 44-foot LOA Alden sailboat was dismasted off Misquamicut, RI. The casualty was in serious danger of further damage and perhaps penetration of the hull.

In the strong wind and seas, the S/V Pilgrim's gear failed under the stress and crumbled at a point about one third of the way up the mast from the deck. A very large portion of the mast, the stays, and the bulk of the sails were now in the water and the Pilgrim was adrift about 1 1/2 miles off the beach.

The Safe/Sea Response Center immediately sortied Captain Douglas Gould in the M/V Safe/Sea Block Island. Along with salvage runners, Captain Gould made his way through the difficult wind and sea conditions to assist the M/V Pilgrim. The following video is what Captain Gould saw when he arrived on scene.