HARBOR ISLAND, SC (WTOC) - Vacationing on Harbor Island hasn't exactly been the getaway the Rhodes and Randall families from Augusta, Georgia expected.
"I have a whole new respect for the ocean out there," said Shawn Rhodes.
That's after quite a day in the ocean Monday afternoon. Rhodes said it all started when she and her children, along with her sister's family, all went out into the water to dolphin watch.
"We all went into our little floats and we were all tied together. The kids had life jackets on and we kept putting our oars down in the ocean to make sure we could still touch. In a split second, we were just gone," said Karen Randall, Rhodes' sister.
"The wind picked up and we just kept on going," said Rhodes. "We were trying to use our oars to get back, we were getting out, paddling, pulling, there was nothing that we could do."
When they finally got to a sandbar, they decided someone needed to go for help.
"I was like someone has to do something," said Karen Randall. "The whole family is out here, we're not going to die this way. I grabbed this here, this 99 cent raft, put it around me, jumped out and swam and swam. It was the scariest thing in the whole entire world. I'm thinking my kids are out there, my sister, her kids, my whole life is out there. The waves kept hitting me in the face but all you think about is your family."
She swam about a mile and half back to shore.
"When I arrived on scene, caught her in the corner of my eye and went in the water after her to help her," said Chief Kim Bradley, Harbor Island Security Chief.
Meanwhile, rescue crews were on the way to get the others.
"We saw a jet ski coming towards us, actually she saw it first because she was on top of a wave," said Charles Randall, Karen's husband.
Soon, rescue crews showed up from all over.
"Everything went exceptionally well, early notification, very alert folks around them. We're certainly grateful for that," said Lee Levesque, Lady's Island St. Helena Fire Rescue.
After all of that during the day, a fire started in the condo next door, just as they had gone to bed.
"I'm like there's fire. I'm like we're going home," said Karen Randall. "We're done, we're going home."
"We're all carrying buckets of water throwing the water on the big fire," said Charles Randall.
But now, they're just thankful to be alive and ready to enjoy the rest of their vacation.
Tuesday, crews also had to rescue four teenagers kayaking off of Harbor Island and six people swimming on Hunting Island. Crews say one of the swimmers got knocked against the rocks and five friends went to their rescue. They say the young adults have some scrapes and bruises, but no major injuries.
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Rhodes and Randall families
