Did you know there is a “shero” among us in Bodega Bay?

GINOCHIO’S KITCHEN & SONOMA CONCIERGE

April 21, 2022

The dictionary defines shero as “a woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities; a heroine.” Meet our local shero, Amanda Pusatero. She is 33 years old, born and raised in Sonoma County, a trauma-informed plant medicine practitioner studying somatic experiencing, and an abstract artist. When she met Captain Michael Cooley, she said she wanted to be a deckhand on his boat. As part of the crew, she “ran the rail, the wet side,” keeping the bait jars that go in the crab traps complete and ready, pulling the crab pots, quickly measuring the crabs, then prepping to get the pots back out in the ocean. Hard and dangerous work with few women filling this role, especially at 5-foot 1 inch tall!

Here’s the story of how Amanda became a shero

The ocean was cranky this day in March 2022, with 6 to 7-foot swells at 7 seconds and winds pushing hard at 25 mph. A day when only the most experienced should be on the water. Amanda is a deckhand on the 40-foot Argo harvesting crab that fateful day when the 38-foot Susan E began taking on water. The sinking boat crew began making frantic radio calls to them. The Argo was 300 yards nearby and came to the aid of the three fishers already in the water, holding on to floating boat debris. The Susan E was heavily laden with 3,000 pounds of Dungeness crab heading into port to unload their prized and hard-earned catch. The combination of weight, wind, swells, and a failing bilge pump led to this disaster at sea.

Almost a deadly disaster!

The Susan E sank, but the crew miraculously survived. The Argo was in the right place at the right time. They received a radio call they could barely hear asking for their help. When the radio failed, they used their cell phones to communicate as one of the drowning crew was best friends with the Argo’s Deck Boss, Kyle Alexander. The crew was screaming that the boat was going down, dead in the water and sinking fast. When the crew saw the Susan E, the bow was pointed skyward and sinking fast. In extremely difficult ocean maneuvering conditions, the Argo Captain Michael Cooley cautiously and with great skill avoided buoys with floating ropes everywhere that could have stalled them and came to their rescue. Maneuvering the 40-foot Argo in this ocean towards the drowning men was like squeezing it into a compact car parking spot! Here is where Amanda, seemingly unknown to everyone who covered this harrowing story, became our shero. Captain Cooley had told her to stay safe and ready the cabin, but they needed her on deck, and she was ready to save lives.

With her knees braced painfully to the boat’s sides, she helped heave men a foot taller and much heavier than herself while the boat was rocking and swaying, plucking them from the water. Kyle also worked hard to save their lives, with Captain Cooley steering. Once the men were on board, Amanda’s training kicked in. She got the shivering freezing men who could barely even talk or breathe into sleeping bags. She calmly told them to take deep, slow breaths, providing water and warmth, telling them they were safe and everything was ok.

Divine intervention?

Earlier on the day of the rescue, Amanda had said to Captain Cooley “today feels magical, a bit divine.” Hardly did she know she would save lives. Divine intervention for sure. Thank you, Amanda, for being the amazing woman you are! Thank you for letting me share your story to inspire and appreciate your bravery! I recognize your valiant efforts, as do many other women! You are a true shero among heroes.

Patty Ginochio is owner of Ginochio’s Kitchen & Sonoma Concierge.
EMAIL: pgino519@yahoo.com PHONE: 707-331-6722

After spending most of her career relocating corporate employees around the world, she began two successful family businesses in the coastal town of Bodega Bay, California with her daughter Alicia and her husband Paul. Patty has been coming to Bodega Bay her entire life and moved to the coastal town 12 years ago.

Patty is Vice President of Waves of Compassion Foundation, offering the first food pantry for the coastal community; Director for Bodega Bay CERT, helping Bodega Bay be prepared for a local disaster & Director for Bodega Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, assisting local businesses manage the unique coastal business environment. She began the Bodega Bay Collaborative, a group dedicated to providing information to the residents of Bodega Bay on the opportunities and challenges in their beloved village. Patty currently is serving as an appointee of Supervisor Hopkins on the Sonoma County Tourism Board of Directors. She was recognized by the Sonoma County Tourism Board with the Hospitality of the Year 2018 award for her leadership role during the 2017 Firestorm, as well as by Congressman Mike Thompson and Supervisor, Susan Gorin. She was also the recipient of the 2020 Community Member of the year award from Bodega Bay Fire Protection District. Patty was selected for the North Bay Spirit Award from the Press Democrat.

Patty enjoys hiking the Sonoma Coast, many times leading the hike offering bits of history with the goal that others will love & respect the coast as much as she does.