Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports "almost was lost to the ocean" before being rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard off the coast of Nantucket on Monday, the internet personality said in a video posted to social media, donning a captain's hat.
Portnoy — who referred to himself as Captain Dave in his recount of the situation — said he wanted to show his mom his boat Monday, but when he got to it at the buoy, it had no power.
He found himself in his boat adrift, without power for the engine, radio or anchor, he told his followers from a breezy beach.
"Next thing you know, Captain Dave is lost at sea," he said, explaining that he tried to send distress signals with a flare gun.
Finally, he said he encountered a girl in what he described as a craft that resembled a row boat, who was able to call the Coast Guard for him.
"Coast Guard came, four burley dudes," he said. "Thankfully the Coast Guard, God bless their souls, tied me up, brings me back — Captain Dave lives to tell another tale."
He thanked the Coast Guard for "saving Captain Dave's life" on X, to which the agency responded it's happy to help "any time."
He joked that he may not be hitting the water again.
"Sector Southeastern New England received a report from U.S Coast Guard Station Brant Point of an approximately 28 ft pleasure craft belonging to Dave Portnoy that broke free of its mooring in Nantucket Harbor and was drifting through the area. Station Brant Point diverted from training and towed the vessel to its mooring," a U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said in a statement. "We are glad that he used distressed signals and applaud the Good Samaritan for having a VHF radio ready to hail the Coast Guard."
"We advise the public to go out with various forms of communication like a personal locator beacon and/or VHF radio in case of an emergency," the statement continued. "There is no such thing as being too prepared."
