A Florida man nicknamed Lieutenant Dan openly refused to depart his boat in Tampa Bay with Hurricane Milton anticipated to make landfall right this moment.
The person, who goes by Joe Sea, spoke from his 20ft boat in Tampa Harbor as robust winds circled overhead.
Joe, in video now circulating broadly on-line, explains that ‘God’ advised him to ‘come out right here and get a ship’. ‘He is obtained my again. I am in good condition. I am not sweating it.’
Joe stated he is not going to be sporting a lifejacket and might swim ‘in circles’ if wanted as he tries to ‘stick it out’ within the bay.
‘The water’s going to return in, it will rise. Should you’re on land, it will flood. You are risking drowning. I am in a ship, so the boat goes up with the water… it is actually the most secure place to be, on my boat.’
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Fee (FWC) warned this week that individuals mustn’t keep onboard or enterprise out in tough situations because it dangers ‘your life and the lives of potential responders’.
Joe, dubbed ‘Lt Dan’ after the character in Forrest Gump, stated he’ll keep on his boat
Terrence stated police had tried to persuade him to maneuver on forward of Milton’s arrival
Joe stated he is not going to be sporting a lifejacket and has positioned his religion in God to maintain him alive
Joe has acquired a following of some 100,000 customers on TikTok as he shares his sea-faring journeys as ‘Lieutenant Dan, thuggin it out’.
Followers have provided to sponsor him for a motel room or provided shelter in different states.
However Joe stays satisfied he’s higher off at sea.
‘Tampa Terrence’ has documented Joe’s stand towards Hurricane Milton and arrange a GoFundMe to support him to buy a new ship ‘to sail the seas’.
The fundraiser has raised over $17,500 thus far.
Terrence additionally stated he had provided Joe to remain in a lodge close to Tampa Airport in his most up-to-date video, revealed late yesterday afternoon, however that he was ‘nonetheless hesitant on going’.
‘God’s obtained my again,’ Joe reiterates in one other video. ‘I am doing what he advised me to do. He did not ship no one to get me out of right here.
‘And anyone that tries to get me out of right here, they don’t seem to be of God as a result of God advised me that this was proper for me and that is why I am doing it.’
Tampa Police have been amongst these urging Joe to maneuver on and search shelter.
Video confirmed what Terrence claimed was the Chief of Tampa Police telling ‘Dan’ to depart.
The sailor is advised they’ve ‘9 shelters which are open’ in video shared yesterday.
He seems to protest, although audio is damaged by the wind.
The ‘Chief’ says ‘it will be tomorrow morning’, for Joe to reply ‘Nicely, I will see you then’.
For now, Lt Dan stays on the 20ft crusing boat, regardless of presents of shelter elsewhere
GOES-19 captured a excessive decision look of Hurricane Milton
Joe continues to add movies enjoying with filters and static photographs with music overlaid.
Followers provide their greatest needs and say they hope he stays secure by the storm.
He has additionally spoken to reporters about his plans to stay out the storm on his boat.
‘The extra you undergo it, the extra you study,’ he advised The Climate Channel.
‘I am assured in my means to journey it out except it turns right into a state of affairs, and I wind up in Kansas.’
Hurricane Milton is anticipated to make landfall late on Wednesday, bringing winds of as much as 175mph and floods 15ft excessive in what might be one of many worst storms to hit Florida in over a century.
Milton has ‘the potential to be one of the crucial damaging hurricanes on file for west-central Florida’, based on NHC forecasters.
Hundreds of thousands have already been evacuated from their houses, with massive shelters arrange in soccer stadia and venues throughout the state.
College districts have been closed, companies shut down and necessary evacuation orders issued for some six million as climate officers declared the tempest might be one of the crucial damaging hurricanes on file.
Florida continues to be reeling from Hurricane Helene, which tore by the state in late September.
By October 6, 227 folks had been reported to have died from the storm.
Newest satellite tv for pc image of Hurricane Milton captured at 7:51 UTC (8:51 UK BST) because it approaches Florida on Wednesday
Members of the Florida Military Nationwide Guard verify for any remaining residents in nearly-deserted Bradenton Seashore on October 8
A whole lot of lineman vans staged at The Villages, Florida, on Tuesday. Hundreds of vans will likely be staged and deployed after Hurricane Milton hits Florida. Hurricane Milton 2024
Helene was additionally the deadliest since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Donald Trump was criticized for spreading misinformation after he accused the federal government of withholding support from Republican victims of the hurricane.
Kamala Harris hit again that he was ‘terribly irresponsible’ for the claims.
FEMA additionally disputed his claims, warning misinformation was ‘extraordinarily damaging’ and including that they believed his claims had deterred some survivors from searching for assist.
Trump additionally stated ‘Kamala spent all her Fema cash—billions of {dollars}—on housing for unlawful migrants’ – a declare promptly debunked.
