After reading yesterday about the ongoing hunt for a Maryland man. The Coast Guard did find 2 of the 3 men from waters near Cedar Key that were in the water because the boat capsized. He was reported to be wearing a life jacket.
I thought similar occurrences and one will always pull on my heart stings. The most successful end to a rescue that I personally know of was when Duncan MacRae of Homosassa found a woman who had been treading water for an estimated 18 hours.
A couple and their dog set out from MacRae’s Bait House in a rental boat and went several miles offshore and went swimming. The dog jumped overboard and as the wife swam after dog and the man swam after the boat, the two got separated.
The wind and tide pushed the boat out of reach to the woman, but the man was able to catch the boat after a long swim. Once in the boat, began searching for his wife to no avail. He drove back to MacRae’s as fast as he could A search was launched that afternoon. Through the night with search lights of shrimp boats and others she was not found.
Mr. Duncan(my employers years after this), laid in his bed and thought of the tides and wind direction to where she might be come daylight. It is surmised as he dozed off that part of the whereabouts were presented in a dream.
Before daylight Duncan, recruited the help of Johnny Huggins to ride along. The boat they used was identical and part of Duncan’s fleet of a dozen or so Courtney Boats made of wood from Longwood, FL.
As God himself was co-piloting Duncan’s boat, he drove straight to where she was. Duncan told Johnny to grab her arm soon as the boat arrived because sometimes a person will give up and sink at the sight of being rescued. As the boat came by fast, Johnny grabbed her arm and in one swoop pulled her inside the boat.
The rescue made the reader’s digest and I met her 20 years later at the Baithouse. She sat there in awe of the man who saved her life. She said the spot lights all night long kept her faith. One boat came close she said.
Mr. MacRae was not only a pillar of the community and helped all those who came to him he served humbly as a Deacon, Usher and Greeter at the First Baptist Church of Homosassa for many years. He passed away on September 29, 2006. http://www.sptimes.com/2006/09/30/Citrus/Homosassa_loses_its_s.shtml
