lorida Man Nicknamed ‘Lieutenant Dan’ Refuses to Leave Boat as Hurricane Milton Nears
There is not much time left for people of Florida to evacuate as Hurricane Milton makes its way towards the state’s Gulf Coast. Owing to the storm’s intensification into a Category 4 and the likelihood of potentially fatal winds and storm surges, officials have advised locals to evacuate susceptible locations right once.
A few obstinate resistors are still there, despite the fact that most others have followed the evacuation instructions. One such individual has drawn notice from both the locals and the larger online community for his determination to give up on his boat.
Joe Sea, also going by the pseudonym “Lieutenant Dan,” borrowed from the Forrest Gump character, has made the decision to weather the hurricane on his 20-foot boat moored in Tampa Bay. Lieutenant Dan thinks his ship is the safest place to be during the storm since he embodies the tough and brave character of his fictional namesake.
“The water will rise and will eventually come in. It will flood if you’re on land. You run the risk of drowning. It’s really the safest place to be, on my boat, as the boat moves up with the water,” he remarked.
Lieutenant Dan is hardly the first person to defy nature. He survived Hurricane Helene, a Category 1 hurricane, in late September by staying on his yacht. His confidence in his ability to weather Hurricane Milton has grown as a result of that event. Fans on social media have taken notice of his perseverance, particularly Tampa Terrence, a local TikToker who has been following Dan’s journey for months.
According to Terrence’s films, Lieutenant Dan has refused all attempts to persuade him to quit. Dan isn’t deterred by the storm’s increased intensity and warnings from the National Weather Service and municipal authorities. With images displaying footage of rising waves and severe weather that has already started to harm the area, Terrence begs him in a plainly anxious manner. “At this point, he’s practically a Tampa Bay legend, but this storm is real.” Everyone wants to see him safe,” Terrence remarked.
Lieutenant Dan has even received a visit from the local police, who are trying to talk him out of staying on his yacht. Officers reportedly gave him information about local shelters, extended an offer of aid, and alerted him to the possibility of floods and storm surges. But Dan dismissed them with a gesture, adding, “All I have is this boat. I call it home. I can’t just let it get ruined here.” In addition to being his main means of existence, he views the boat as his most significant asset.
Jim Cantore, a well-known meteorologist from The Weather Channel who has covered some of the deadliest hurricanes in American history, personally visited Lieutenant Dan in an attempt to get in touch with him. Cantore attempted to talk sense into him while he was in Tampa getting ready for live storm coverage. This is no laughing matter. Cantore said, “It’s going to get bad out here, and the boat isn’t the safest place to be.” However, not even Cantore’s well-honed skill could persuade Dan to reconsider.
With his characteristic air of assurance, Dan said to Cantore, “I know that God didn’t bring me this far for something to happen to me.” “The more times you experience it, the more you gain knowledge,” he continued, sharing his past storm experiences. Unless this becomes “a Wizard of Oz-type situation, and I wind up in Kansas,” Dan continued his jest, saying he will be alright. He grinned and said, “I’ll be here,” to terminate the talk. See you on Friday.”
Despite more warnings and increasing weather, Lieutenant Dan has not yet left his boat as of the most recent updates on October 8. Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa, who has been in charge of the city’s emergency response operations, voiced concern for people who decide to stay put, particularly people like Dan. “We recognize that people are attached to their houses and possessions, but there is a risk to life from this storm. Castor released a statement, saying, “We sincerely hope that everyone would choose wisely and leave as soon as possible.
Locals and social media users have been closely monitoring Lieutenant Dan’s circumstances, with many voicing concerns for his security. Reactions on Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok range from appreciation of his tenacity to worry that he isn’t appreciating how bad the storm is. While some have just pleaded with him to find safety, others have simply posted prayers and well wishes.
When Tampa Mayor Jane Castor gave an unexpected update at a press conference early on Wednesday morning, the drama that was developing took an unexpected turn. She declared, sounding relieved, that the Tampa Police Department had saved Lieutenant Dan.
Lieutenant Dan was recently saved this morning by the Tampa Police Department. After being saved, he is currently staying at a shelter. During a tense briefing on the approaching storm, there was a humorous moment when Castor remarked, “If we can get Lieutenant Dan to go to a shelter, we can get anybody to do that.”
The mayor stated that as the storm’s outer bands started to hit the bay region, cops were able to persuade Dan to leave. To the relief of both local authorities and his social media fans, he is presently safely in a shelter in Tampa Bay.
Although Lieutenant Dan’s original plan was to stay on his boat and weather the storm, it’s possible that his decision to flee in the end saved his life. Hurricane Milton is predicted to make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday, bringing strong winds, hazardous storm surges, and extensive flooding.
For the time being, Lieutenant Dan is out of the bay, safe and sound, probably thinking back on what was perhaps his biggest gamble to date.
