NEWBURYPORT, Mass. -- For members of the U.S. Coast Guard, preparing for rescues often means training in rough seas -- and that is exactly what they did Friday in the waters off Newburyport, Mass.

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Jack Harper Reports On Coast Guard

NewsCenter 5's Jack Harper reported that the crews from the Newburyport Coast Guard station practiced drills the choppy seas found where the Merrimack River meets the Atlantic Ocean Friday.

"The Merrimack River has a reputation as a deadly place, especially where a large amount of water goes out and meets the Atlantic," said Coast Guard Chief Rob Craighead.

The crews brought together two 47-foot lifeboats in eight- to 10-foot seas and completed a personnel transfer from one boat to another Friday.

"It's one of the most advanced lifeboats in the world. She's capable of taking 30-foot seas, 20-foot surf breaks," said Craighead.

"The average boater has their boat on a trailer in the back yard this time of year. They don't know what we deal with this time of year. Not only the rough weather, but the cold," said Don Mills, Coast Guard surfman.

Some inherent dangers of transfer are someone falling between the boats and the boats colliding.

"We put our crews in some extreme environments, and I think we've prepared them as best we can. I'm pretty confident at the end of the day, these crews are ready for anything," said Craighead.