A Hero’s Story – Rescue at Sea
This story of Seamanship at its best was posted by Kim Russo on AGLCA’s Forum.
A Hero in our Midst
I’d like to give some recognition to a Looper who went above and beyond and rescued a diver that was lost at sea yesterday.
Tom Duggan of “Island Time” was navigating the Crooked Island Pass near Mexico Beach, Florida, heading home from a yacht club raft-up, when a Coast Guard Mayday Call came over the radio advising of a lost diver at sea approx. 5-miles outside the St. Andrews Bay Pass. Tom immediately decided to take the long way home and steered further offshore in hopes of helping in the search for the diver. Upon reaching the search site,Tom slowed down and he, his wife Karen, and their guests starting watching the water. Right after a Coast Guard boat made a sweep a ½ mile in front of them, Tom spotted the drifting diver off the starboard side. He sounded his horn to let the diver know he was spotted, got on the radio to advise the Coast Guard vessel and slowed down to bring the diver aboard. The Coast Guard boat roared over and took the diver aboard as Island Time idled alongside. Thanks to Tom’s hunch and a lot of good luck, the diver’s life was very possibly saved to spend the rest of Fathers’ Day with his family.
Well done, Tom & the crew of Island Time!
Kim Russo
Director
America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association
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