TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale Rescues Shipwrecked Bahamian National

February 16, 2004

His name is Doyle Alexander Russell. He was born on September 9, 1969 and lives in Nassau, Bahamas with his wife and six children. Mr. Russell's 17 day adventure began as a normal work day. Mr. Russell works for a fishing company on a boat called Lady Maxi which docks in Nassau. He was down in Sandy Bores fishing for Conch in the Southwestern portion of the Tongue of the Ocean, south of Andros, Bahamas, when he ran out of cigarettes. Off in the distance he saw a boat and set out in a dinghy to try to buy some cigarettes from them. When he headed back for Lady Maxi, he could not find the boat. He was now over 100 miles from home and almost 40 miles from closest land with very little gas on the 17' boat. The dinghy ran out of gas and he went adrift for three days. On the third day off in the distance he saw a buoy. Using a piece of plywood as a sail, he tried (unsuccessfully) to sail to the buoy. Not giving up, he put his dive fins on and propelled the boat by kicking his way over. He arrived at the buoy by sunset and slept there for the next 14 days.

During that time, the Richard L. Becker, TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale's 96' salvage vessel, was under charter in those same waters. On Tuesday, February 10, 2004 at 9:30 PM, the Richard L. Becker, with Capt. Peter Caswell at the helm, approached the buoy. As the ship neared its destination, Mate Russell Inman spotted a capsized boat tied off to the buoy. Capt. Caswell continued toward the buoy and the crew took note of fish carcasses hanging from the railings. The ominous scene overcame the crew as they realized that someone may be stranded at this remote location.

Officials were contacted including the U.S. Coast Guard. The Becker sounded its horn and about a minute later a guy wearily stepped out of the hatch of the buoy. His eyes were large as he yelled, "I'm alive! Help me! I need water and food."

Capt. Tom Watson, master of the Becker, and the crew prepared to moor to the buoy. Mr. Russell boarded the ship where he received a hot shower, clean clothes and a hot breakfast. Mr. Russell was so grateful to the crew that he said "I am going to cook you the best Bahamian meal you ever had."

Over breakfast, the crew heard the incredible story of how Mr. Russell kept himself alive. He fed himself by making a fishing line out of 1/2 inch rope, taking single strands, braiding them together into very thin rope, and tying it through a hook he found stuck in the buoy fenders. He used this to catch fish which he ate raw. He drank the rain water puddled on the buoy. His entertainment was talking to the 35 foot sperm whale that spent weeks close to the buoy. He prayed to God and apologized because he planned to kill himself. But in a dream, God told Mr. Russell to wait one more day. The Richard L. Becker arrived the next day. Mr. Russell referred to the crew of the Becker as his "angels". At 4:00 PM, the Bahamian Defense Force arrived and took Mr. Russell home to his family in Nassau, ending his misfortune.

The crew completed its operation and returned home to Port Everglades where the Richard L. Becker is berthed. TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale was founded in 1989 by Larry Acheson. The company operates from two ports and provides towing and assistance to boaters in all of Southeast Florida and the Bahamas. The TowBoatU.S. Ft. Lauderdale operation has conducted thousands of salvage operations over the years and routinely assists law enforcement with search and rescue operations. When asked to comment on the adventure, Capt. Acheson replied, "I'm very proud of my crew for bringing this harrowing ordeal to a close."

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