GEARHART, Ore. — An Oregon crabber jumped overboard and paddled to shore on a surfboard early Tuesday morning in hopes to make it on time for the birth of his son.
Dylan Ford said he got a call that his wife, Grace Darling, was going into labor. Fortunately, Ford and his captain had it all planned out in case this happened.
“[They told me], ‘Well we’ll just drop you off as close as we can someone can pick you up wherever we’re at,'” Ford said.
Ford, an experienced surfer, hopped overboard off the shore near Gearhart. He paddled a quarter-mile to shore in about 15 minutes, much faster than the five to six hours it would have taken the fishing boat to dock.
“There was always that thought in my head I wouldn’t make it,” Ford said.
He was picked up by his sister and then taken to the hospital.
Turns out, there was no big rush.
The baby, Breaker Ford, arrived into the world on Wednesday night about 38 hours after Ford took the plunge.
