A Florida man nicknamed Lieutenant Dan brazenly refused to leave his boat in Tampa Bay as Hurricane Milton was expected to make landfall today.
The man, who goes by Joe Sea, spoke from his 20-foot boat in Tampa Harbor as strong winds circled overhead.
Joe, in a video now circulating widely online, explains that “God” told him to “come over here and get a boat.” ‘He’s behind me. I’m in good shape. I don’t sweat it.’
Joe said he won’t wear a life jacket and can “swim in circles” if necessary while trying to “stick it out” in the bay.
“The water will come in, it will rise. If you are on land, it will flood. You risk drowning. I’m in a boat, so the boat goes with the water… it really is the safest place to be, on my boat.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) warned this week that people should not stay on board or venture into rough conditions because it endangers “your life and the lives of potential rescuers.”
Joe, named ‘Lt Dan’ after the Forrest Gump character, said he will stay on his boat
Terrence said police tried to convince him to move on before Milton arrived
Joe said he will not wear a life jacket and has put his trust in God to keep him alive
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Joe has gained a following of around 100,000 users on TikTok as he shares his sea travels as ‘Lieutenant Dan, thuggin it out’.
Fans have offered to sponsor him for a motel room or offered lodging in other states.
But Joe remains convinced he is better off at sea.
‘Tampa Terrence’ has documented Joe’s stand against Hurricane Milton and a GoFundMe supports him in the purchase of a new ship ‘to sail the seas’.
The fundraiser has raised more than $17,500 to date.
Terrence also said he offered Joe to stay at a hotel near Tampa Airport in his most recent video, which was posted late yesterday afternoon, but that he was “still hesitant to go.”
“God has my back,” Joe repeats in another video. “I’m doing what he told me to do. He didn’t send anyone to get me out of here.
“And anyone who tries to get me out of here, they’re not from God, because God told me this was good for me and that’s why I’m doing it.”
Tampa police were among those who urged Joe to move on and find shelter.
Video showed what Terrence claimed was the chief of the Tampa Police Department telling “Dan” to leave.
The sailor is told there are ‘nine shelters open’ in a video shared yesterday.
He seems to protest, though the sound is cut off by the wind.
The ‘Chief’ says ‘it’ll be tomorrow morning’, to which Joe replies, ‘Well, I’ll see you then’.
For now, Lt. Dan will remain on the 20-foot sailboat, despite offers of shelter elsewhere
GOES-19 captured a high-resolution image of Hurricane Milton
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Joe continues to upload videos with filters and static photos with music overlay.
Fans are offering their best wishes and saying they hope he stays safe through the storm.
He also spoke to reporters about his plans to weather the storm on his boat.
“The more you go through it, the more you learn,” he told The Weather Channel.
“I’m confident I can hold on unless a situation arises and I end up in Kansas.”
Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall late Wednesday, bringing winds of up to 175 miles per hour and flooding up to 15 feet high. This could be one of the worst storms to hit Florida in more than a century.
Milton has “the potential to become one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” NHC forecasters said.
Millions have already been evacuated from their homes and large shelters have been set up at football stadiums and venues across the state.
School districts are closed, businesses are shuttered and mandatory evacuation orders have been issued for about six million people as weather officials declared the storm could be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record.
Florida is still reeling from Hurricane Helene, which tore through the state in late September.
On October 6, 227 people were reported to have died from the storm.
Latest satellite photo of Hurricane Milton captured at 7:51 UTC (8:51 UK BST) as it approaches Florida on Wednesday
Members of the Florida Army National Guard check on October 8 to see if there are any residents left in the almost deserted Bradenton Beach
Hundreds of linemen performed Tuesday in The Villages, Florida. Thousands of trucks will be staged and deployed after Hurricane Milton hits Florida. Hurricane Milton 2024
Helene was also the deadliest since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Donald Trump was criticized for spreading misinformation after he accused the government of withholding aid from Republican hurricane victims.
Kamala Harris responded that he was “extremely irresponsible” for the claims.
FEMA also disputed his claims, warning that misinformation was “extremely harmful” and adding that they believed his claims had deterred some survivors from seeking help.
Trump also said that ‘Kamala spent all her Fema money – billions of dollars – on housing for illegal migrants’ – a claim that was promptly made debunked.