Boaters Warned About Treacherous Current Near NH Bridge
NEWINGTON, N.H. (CBS) -- One of the fastest currents in the world runs underneath the General Sullivan Bridge at Little Bay in Newington. Even seasoned boaters are wary.
"Even on a good day you can get in trouble here," said Jack Barry, who is on the water several days a week.
And it has gotten worse thanks to major construction on the bridge. New supports have altered the currents' direction.
That has caused the New Hampshire Marine Patrol to issue a warning ahead of the busy Fourth of July weekend.
WBZ-TV's Lauren Leamanczyk reports.
Officer Scott McLain took WBZ-TV out on the water. He showed us the areas where water rushes so fast it becomes a whirlpool.
Unpredictable currents combined with an especially low clearance could spell trouble for mariners who lose control.
"They hit one of those supports coming up, they're going to get pushed in and eventually just roll the boat over and they're going to wind up in the water," McLain explained.
It's already happened this year. The Marine Patrol will be paying special attention to the General Sullivan Bridge area all weekend to make sure unprepared boaters aren't swept up in a current they can't handle.
"We just want people to be extra cautious this weekend and all summer," McLain said.
