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Unexpected visitor on Beverly Beach
Last weekend, beachgoers at Beverly Beach, Florida, were greeted by an unusual sight: a 50-foot shrimp boat named Miss Montie had washed ashore. This unexpected visitor, located just three miles north of Flagler Beach, quickly became the talk of the town.
The Flagler Beach Fire Department reported that authorities struggled to make contact with the crew initially, raising concerns among onlookers.
The story behind the beached vessel
As the situation unfolded, it was revealed that the crew of the Miss Montie had been safely removed from the vessel before it ran aground.
According to Coast Guard Marine Science Technician Brandan Blackwell, the crew was accounted for, and the boat was not in immediate danger of capsizing. “It’s a steel hull, so it shouldn’t fall apart overnight or anything crazy like that,” Blackwell reassured the public.
The captain of the Miss Montie, Corey Thomas, shared that the boat lost power on Friday night. In a desperate attempt to secure the vessel, he called the Coast Guard after realizing that his spare anchor wouldn’t hold the boat’s weight.
“I didn’t want to leave the boat drifting,” Thomas explained. However, the Coast Guard deemed it too dangerous to tow the vessel at that time.
Community response and recovery efforts
After the crew was safely taken to shore, Thomas found a boat owner willing to assist in towing the shrimp boat.
Unfortunately, by that time, the Miss Montie had drifted eight miles in just three hours, and the rough waves made towing impossible. Thomas attempted to use a second anchor, but the line broke, leading to the boat’s eventual arrival on the shores of Beverly Beach.
Local authorities conducted a search of the vessel and subsequently handed it over to law enforcement. Thomas has since hired a larger shrimp boat to assist in removing the Miss Montie from the beach, with plans to tow it to St. Augustine. The incident has sparked curiosity among locals and beachgoers alike, who are eager to learn more about the mysterious journey of the beached shrimp boat.
