Ethan Warren had a choice most boaters hope they never face: leave his sailboat behind as Hurricane Isaias closed in on the Gulf Coast, or stay aboard and trust his setup. He stayed. The Texas boater, who has lived on the water for six years and weathered multiple major storms, rode out the hurricane on his 22-foot sailboat near Dauphin Island, Alabama.
Authorities warned Warren about hurricane-force winds and dangerous storm surge before the storm arrived. He listened, but leaned on his own experience. His primary anchor was set the way he wanted it, and he kept a second anchor in the back of the boat to throw if the first one came loose. Video of his decision spread quickly online, drawing a mix of admiration, criticism, and a lot of questions about whether any boat is worth that kind of risk.
Emergency officials along the Gulf Coast consistently urge boaters to find safe shelter well before a storm makes landfall, and that guidance has not changed. Warren said he appreciated that authorities checked on him during the storm. For Suncoast boaters, his story raises a familiar question: where is the line between confidence and caution when a storm is headed your way? Tell us what you would have done.
