Charles Gregory endured two days of baking sun during the day, cool ocean chill during the night, plus jellyfish stings and shark spottings over the weekend after he was swept out to sea during an early-morning fishing trip off the coast of St Augustine, Florida.
His father Raymond told CNN that Mr Gregory “struggled to stay alive” before being rescued.
“He was scared to death,” Raymond said. “He said he’s had more conversations with God in that 30 hours than he’s had his whole life.”
Charles Gregory, a Florida boater who was swept out to sea then rescued on 12 August, 2023— (US Coast Guard / family handout)
“At night being sunburnt, and the wind would be blowing, he said it was freezing cold out there in that water,” he added.
The 25-year-old boater originally set off on Friday at around 4am from the Lighthouse Park Boat Ramp, and his family became alarmed when he didn’t return later that day.
Mr Gregory later said that the tide rose more quickly than expected and he and his 12-foot “jon boat” were taken out to sea, with the Coast Guard finding the lost boater 12 miles from shore.
“We cannot thank the Coast Guard, fire, rescue, St Augustine, everybody, the paddleboarders, everybody, we just want to say thank you so much,” his mother told FCN2.
The 25-year-old flashed a hang-loose sign at news reporters as he was wheeled away in a stretcher on Saturday.
His family says he’s suffered from severe sunburns and rhabdomyolysis, a breakdown of damaged muscle tissue.
US Coast Guard teams spotted Mr Gregory on Saturday morning from an HC-130 Hercules aircraft.
“We are pleased about the outcome in this case and I would like to thank all of our local and state partners who were heavily involved in searching for Charles and bringing him home to his family," commander Nick Barrow of the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville said in a statement. “
“While this case resulted in rescuing Charles from a life-threatening situation, it highlights the importance of having safety gear onboard and being prepared for the worst,” he added. “If you plan to head out on the water, remember to have a life jacket, VHF marine grade radio, signaling devices and an emergency personal locator beacon to contact first responders in case you are in need of assistance.”
