Coast Guard Rescues Stranded Boater, Dog

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — A man and his dog are safely back on dry land after a disconcerting experience on Gulf of Mexico waters Thursday.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, its watch standers in St. Petersburg were alerted by Jim Baxter, 50, that his 27-foot sailboat, the Kittywake, was disabled and he was low on water. After receiving the 11:25 a.m. April 27 call via VHF-FM marine band radio channel 16, St. Petersburg crew members alerted the guard’s Station Yankeetown.

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Coast guard crews in Yankeetown launched a 27-foot special purpose craft and soon found Baxter and his terrier, Freddy, disabled near Horseshoe Beach, the guard wrote in an email to media. Baxter and Freddy were found about 4 p.m. and were taken to Hag Marina in Steinhatchee.

Both Baxter and Freddy were in good condition following the ordeal, the guard noted. Baxter said he’d been out at sea for three days, but did not say where he sailed out of, coast guard officials said.

The story serves as a reminder about the need for boaters to take precautions, the coast guard said.

"Mariners should always file a float plan with a responsible person and ensure they have some type of communication capability during their voyage," said Kevin Coyne, command duty officer at Sector St. Petersburg. “When a planned voyage takes a vessel outside of cell phone coverage and VHF-FM marine band radio coverage, the captain needs to ensure they have an Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon or satellite phone to alert authorities if they encounter a serious problem."

Photos courtesy of the U.S. Coast Guard