- The Second Chance shrimp boat washed ashore in Port Aransas just over two weeks ago.
- Since it washed ashore, the community has donated over $23,000 to a GoFundMe fundraising page to help the captain.
- The captain, Phillip Lara, says that he is extremely grateful for the support of the community members.
- He says he will use the donated money to hire a salvage company to move the boat, but that process is still underway.
It has been over two weeks since the Second Chance shrimp boat washed ashore in Port Aransas, just north of the Horace Caldwell Pier.
In the past few weeks, members of the community have donated over $23,000 to a GoFundMe fundraising page.
“You know, even if he’s out of Aransas Pass, he’s still a local to us. We have a boat, we live on a boat, so we know what it's like. You know, if we had an emergency, we’d want some help. And this is his livelihood and we want to keep him out there and get him back out on the water," Paula and Sean Jackson, Port Aransas residents said.
The people of Port Aransas and surrounding areas are doing everything they can to support Second Chance Captain Phillip Lara and his crew. The boat has been moved into a little bit of deeper water than when it originally beached on July 31.
“We were all supposed to be here Monday. I didn’t know what we were supposed to do to help get him out, but we were all going to get lines and pull him out to sea as much as we could. But we’re hoping that he gets out fast, and able to resume his life and his livelihood and make his money," The Jacksons said.
Captain Phillip Lara was unable to do an in-person interview, but he told KRIS 6 News Reporter Erin Holly that he is extremely grateful for the community's support. He said that without the community, he would have lost his boat.
“We took turns maintaining watch so no one climbs aboard. We had a lot of people coming to town, thinking that it was an abandoned ship, and they were playing and going aboard. So we took turns taking watch and we raised money, did a GoFundMe," The Jacksons said.
People have been flocking to the Port Aransas Beach from all over during the past two weeks to admire the beauty of the Second Chance. Some local artists and photographers have photographed The Second Chance and sold artwork to raise money to donate to the fundraiser.
Captain Phillip Lara said that he will be using the donated funds to hire a salvage company to move the vessel off of the beach. He said that this process is still in the planning phases because it is a very expensive and specific process.
“Just supportive. I mean, everybody, you know but that’s the way they always are. So, just extremely helpful. We got the best community," The Jacksons said.
The Jacksons said that this is definitely not the first time that the people of Port Aransas have rallied in support of a total stranger.
“And this is his livelihood and we want to keep him out there and get him back out on the water," The Jacksons said.
Captain Phillip Lara said that he hoped to get the boat moved off of the beach.
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