Regatta participant goes above and beyond for rescue

Organizers and participants leaped into action at the first 'mayday' call over the radio.

By Dana Kampa
| 3:29 p.m. April 12, 2025

A man who fell overboard during the Bird Key Regatta on Saturday is pulled out of the water by regatta crew.

Longboat Key
Neighbors

Bird Key Yacht Club's annual regatta got off to an exhilarating start as the windy yet sunny afternoon sent sailboats rocketing off from the start line. Besides a few early minor technical issues some vessels encountered, the race went off as planned.

But part way through, a mayday call went out over the radio.

One of the participants went overboard. But Mark Smith of the Serendipity quickly jumped to action, keeping him afloat until the nearby media boat captained by Bob Keagy, the Bec-N-Me, could come to assist.

The crew road in with smiles of relief after a successful recovery.

Fortunately, the boat had an easy-to-reach ladder that made the rescue easier, and Keagy's team quickly returned to shore where the rescued man received medical attention for minor scrapes.

Organizers applauded the Serendipity acting quickly.

About 70 boats with approximately 175 participants joined the regatta this year. Follow the Observer for full coverage of the regatta and Saturday evening awards.

author

Dana Kampa

Dana Kampa is the Longboat Key neighbors reporter for the Observer. She first ventured into journalism in her home state of Wisconsin, going on to report community stories everywhere from the snowy mountains of Washington State to the sunny shores of the Caribbean. She has been a writer and photographer for more than a decade, covering what matters most to readers.