On October 7, 2022 in the St. Lucie River, a boat crashed into a channel marker off the shore of Snug Harbor. Three teenagers—Nash Kennedy, Jack Aubuchon and Riley Kirby—were just 50 yards away on their own boat when it happened.
At the time, the boys were out fishing, something they do every Friday. On this evening, they had decided to try out a new spot. Kennedy remembers seeing the boat pass them, cruising quite fast.
“I know I saw the channel marker and made sure to avoid it. I was tracking them with my eyes and in my head, I was like they’re going to hit that, and they smacked right into it,” he said.
The boys sped toward the scene, arriving to find three passengers aboard the boat and three in the water.
One of the people in the water, a 14-year-old boy, had suffered injuries to his back. The three teens were unsure whether he had hit the channel marker or the propeller, but the skin from his shoulder to hip was gone.
Kennedy took immediate action, using a lifejacket to pack the wound where he could see exposed skin and organs. Once they had stabilized the young boy on their boat, the teens rushed to shore to meet an ambulance they had called.
The rescue is a reminder that it’s important for boaters to have basic training in treating injuries.
“My father is a paramedic or was a paramedic. He retired. And pretty much my whole life he gave me tips in case someone was seriously injured out on the water,” Kennedy said.
This is not the first time a boat has collided with a marker in the St. Lucie River, especially at night. Markers are hard to see in the dark. An important lesson to remember, for new and experienced boaters, is to go slow in the dark.
“Especially if you’re new to boating and running at night, just make sure you know what your surroundings are,” Aubuchon said.
To learn more, click here — Lidia Goldberg
Photo: WPTV
