Deputies rescued a man early Sunday morning after his boat ran aground in the Gulf of Mexico off of Redington Beach.
At about 4:51 a.m., on May 1, deputies received a call from the U.S. Coast Guard requesting that deputies check for a boat that ran aground behind The Tides condominium, located at 16750 Gulf Boulevard in Redington Beach.
When deputies arrived, they located the 30 foot sailboat that had run aground. The boat was partially capsized about 15-20 feet off the shore of the beach with the engine motor still running.
Deputies say they could hear someone moaning in distress on-board the sailboat. Deputies waded out into the waist deep water and found 74-year-old James Shemwell clinging to the deck of the boat.
Shemwell was disoriented and suffered minor injuries. Deputies were able to pull him safely to shore. No one else was on board.
Shemwell told deputies he remembered departing from the Skyway Bridge area. Deputies believe impairment may have been a factor.
He was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.