NARRAGANSETT, R.I. -- While the coast braced for rising tides and rough seas, Hurricane Isabel claimed the life of a Massachusetts resident.
NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that an Uxbridge, Mass., man was swept off the rocks and drowned in the waters off Rhode Island's Narragansett coast Thursday afternoon.
According to officials, a 67-year-old man and his wife were walking along rocks at Black Point admiring the huge waves and underestimating the danger.
The Coast Guard tried unsuccessfully to save the man.
"The bottom line is that we have far too many people close to the edge of the ocean. It's far too dangerous, and the ocean is very violent right now and the obvious happened here," said Narragansett Police Chief David Smith.
Area business owners spent Thursday preparing for the damaging waves that will soon roll in with the tide.
Narragansett restaurant owner Debbie Kelso remembers when 1991's Hurricane Bob washed away the first floor of her restaurant, The Coast Guard.
"When Bob came through, it washed out the walls. It was bad," said Kelso. "When the glass goes, it shatters. The force of the waves behind it -- it's a very dangerous situation."
Officials and residents expect to see the largest and most damaging waves at high tide at midnight.
Fishing Boats Head Home To Escape Isabel
Before the hurricane forecast could be nailed down, the captains of many fishing vessels in New Bedford opted to turn around and head for home.
NewsCenter 5's Rhondella Richardson reported that 214 commercial fishing vessels have tied up for the night.
If Hurricane Isabel were to turn toward the Bay State, there is a hurricane barrier that would help break the waves along the New Bedford coast. The barrier was built in the '60s after damage from previous storms.
"As soon as the hurricane goes by, you want to go right out, and you catch a lot of fish, usually," Isabel S. Capt. Jeff Hatfield said.
Many of the boats were packed with fish that will be sent to local fish markets and bring down seafood prices. But, many boats won't have a catch for the market next week, which could send prices sky high.
"We get beat up. It's a good money time -- summertime. It's how we make our money," Melissa Jayne Capt. Lynn Gurchik said.
There is a 250-foot opening to the harbor. If the waters get rough, officials will close off the barrier to keep help boats safe.
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Jack Harper Reports On Death
