BATH, Maine — What started as a beautiful sailboat ride along the Kennebec River quickly took a dangerous turn.
Peter Nordlander, who was visiting Maine from Texas, captured the moment the historic schooner "Mary E" capsized Friday afternoon with 18 people on board.
"I threw out all the life jackets to passengers," Nordlander said.
Nordlander said he knew something was wrong when the boat started to tilt too far.
"It tilted more and more. The wind increased. The boat tilted more and more very slowly. You first saw water coming in from the railings," said Nordlander.
He said it wasn't his first time being on a boat that capsized. He said he knew what to do and climbed up the boat to avoid going into the water.
"I was never scared because first of all the water was very warm and the boat sank very slowly. No one was crying," Nordlander said.
Local crews rescued all 18 people and brought them to shore. The U.S. Coast Guard said three people were transported to a medical facility.
"Bath did a really great job at responding to what could have been a little more serious situation," said Nordlander.
The Mary E was built in 1906 and underwent a million-dollar restoration a few years ago. It is owned by the Maine Maritime Museum.
The Coast Guard is investigating what caused the boat to take on water.
NEWS CENTER Maine asked the museum if the boat is salvageable. It said it will not be able to provide any information until the Coast Guard completes its investigation.
Watch Nordlander's video below (Warning: The video contains language that some may find offensive).