Nicholas Whitbeck and Joe Tormay were fishing off Nantucket when they spotted what appeared to be a dead whale. Upon closer inspection, they discovered a man waving his hat atop a capsized fishing boat.
The man, who had lost his cellphone, had been stranded for about an hour in 55-58°F water, risking hypothermia. Whitbeck and Tormay quickly stowed their gear, sped to the scene, and alerted the Coast Guard. They provided the man with a life jacket and pulled him aboard.
He explained that his boat had overturned due to a large wave and he had unsuccessfully tried to flag down other boats. Grateful for the timely rescue, he later expressed his appreciation to Whitbeck and Tormay.
“Any fisherman would do the same,” Tormay said, emphasizing the camaraderie among those on the water.