An Albany man and his dog were successfully rescued from a submerged boat on Lake Minnewaska last Saturday, June 25.  

Gary John Rakotz, Albany, was fishing when his main motor lost power. He was trying to return to shore with his trolling motor and two large waves came over the back of the boat, according to the Pope County Sheriff’s Office. After that, he said he couldn’t keep up with the water and the boat was 98 percent submerged by the time he was taken out of the water.

Rakotz was wearing a life jacket and neither he nor the dog was injured.  Arrangements were made with a nearby pontoon from Lakeside to retrieve Rakotz and his dog from the lake.  The boat was later recovered and brought to shore, according to the report.  Multiple agencies, including the Glenwood Police, Glenwood Fire Department, the Sheriff’s Office and the Glacial Ridge Ambulance responded to the scene that took place about two hundred yards from shore in front of the Pearl on South Lakeshore Drive.   The report, which came in at about 2:25 p.m., caused a response because it was unknown how many people were in the water.