My buddy and I were fishing about 50 miles offshore when the weather suddenly started getting worse. The wind picked up, conditions became rougher, and we decided it was time to head back toward land before things deteriorated any further.

On the way in, with around 27 miles still left to go, the lower unit on the boat failed. Just like that, we were stranded offshore in worsening conditions. I tried reaching the Coast Guard on the radio, but I could not get a signal through. At that point, we knew we needed another way to call for help.

I activated the emergency button on my EPIRB.

Within about 5 to 10 minutes, another boat came alongside us. They told us they had seen the EPIRB alert on their radar equipment and came to check on us. They allowed us to use their radio to speak directly with the Coast Guard and let them know our situation.

Roughly 20 minutes after activating the EPIRB, a Coast Guard plane was already circling overhead. Not long after that, another vessel stopped to assist and allowed us to continue using their radio while we waited for TowBoatUS to arrive and tow us safely back to shore.

That experience reinforced for me just how important it is to carry reliable emergency equipment offshore. When our radio could not reach anyone, the EPIRB became our direct link to help.