A method for laying cable from a vessel at a near shore location in shallow water to shore. The cable on the vessel is wrapped around a modified roller quadrant on the vessel. The roller quadrant is moved from the vessel into the water. A pulling device is attached by a line to the roller quadrant. The pulling device is used to pull the roller quadrant and cable toward shore. The pulling device may be positioned in the water and moved to shore as required. The pulling device may also be initially positioned on shore. The roller quadrant may include a skid and buoyancy modules to reduce the pulling force required to move the roller quadrant and lay the cable to shore.