Three Rescues in a Week in the Keys, and What Every Owner Can Take From Them

I read Coast Guard press releases the way some people read the weather. Most weeks they are short and routine. This October, three of them from the Florida Keys landed within about a week of each other, and each one ended well. That is exactly why they are worth reading closely: a good outcome usually means something was done right before anyone needed rescuing.

Here is what was reported, and what I take from it as a captain.

What happened

• October 18, south of Boot Key Harbor. According to the Coast Guard, a 26-foot catamaran capsized about five miles south of Boot Key Harbor, near Marathon, while a small craft advisory was in effect. The four people aboard had a marine radio and used it to call for help. A crew from Station Marathon brought all four to safety, and no injuries were reported.
• October 22, near Pickles Reef. A 19-foot center console with two people aboard began taking on water off Key Largo. Watchstanders received the alert through a 911 relay. A Station Islamorada crew took both people aboard, dewatered the boat and towed it in. The Coast Guard noted that both were wearing life jackets.
• October 24, near Key Largo. A 23-foot vessel took on water and eventually capsized. A good Samaritan took the three passengers aboard their own boat while the captain stayed behind trying to dewater. The boat went over just as the Station Islamorada crew arrived, and they recovered the captain. No injuries were reported.

Sources: U.S. Coast Guard Southeast District news releases of October 18 and October 25, 2026, and local coverage by WFTV and the Florida Keys Free Press.

The radio is not optional

In the Boot Key Harbor case, the Coast Guard said plainly that having a marine radio aboard let the boaters call for help and let the crew respond quickly. A phone may work near shore, but it may not work when it is wet, out of signal or in the water. A fixed VHF, plus a handheld that is charged and clipped where someone can reach it, is the standard I hold every yacht to.

Just as important: everyone aboard should know how to use it. Guests and family should know that Channel 16 is the distress and calling channel, and how to give your position. If only the captain can work the radio, the radio only works while the captain is fine.

Wear the life jacket, do not just carry it

The two mariners near Pickles Reef were wearing life jackets, and the Coast Guard made a point of mentioning it. Having life jackets aboard and having them on are very different things when a boat is filling with water. On my own deliveries, life jackets come out at the first sign of trouble, before anyone has to decide whether the situation is serious yet. With children aboard, I keep them on whenever we are underway.

Respect the advisory

The Boot Key Harbor capsizing happened while a small craft advisory was in effect. I do not know the details of that crew’s decision, and I would not judge it from a press release. But I will say what I tell every client: an advisory is the forecast telling you the day has changed. On a smaller boat it often means the right call is to wait. On a larger yacht it still means rethinking the route, the timing and whether guests will be comfortable and safe.

Know your plan if the boat is losing

Two of these incidents began with a boat taking on water. In the Key Largo case, the passengers moved to a good Samaritan’s boat while the captain kept working, and the boat capsized as help arrived. Every owner should think through, before leaving the dock, when you stop fighting the water and focus on people. Know where your bilge pumps are and that they work, keep a means of signalling ready, and decide in advance who calls for help while someone else works the problem.

The quiet lesson

None of these outcomes depended on luck alone. A radio within reach, life jackets on, a fast call and a nearby boat willing to help made the difference. Those are habits, not equipment lists, and they are the habits I build with every owner I work with. For the official guidance, see the Coast Guard’s boating safety resources at uscgboating.org, and confirm equipment requirements for your own vessel with the USCG and your insurer.

This article is general guidance from one captain’s experience, not a substitute for your surveyor, insurer or the U.S. Coast Guard. Rules and requirements change; verify current ones before you rely on them.