Sea Tow Owner Lauds 'Hero' Captain Who Saved Life

This story was written by Erica Jackson, with additional reporting by Lisa Finn.

When Captain Joe Frohnhoefer, owner and founder of Southold's Sea Tow, heard that Lester Trafford, a Sea Tow captain from Shinnecock/Center Moriches, had saved a life on Sunday, he wasn't surprised.

"It's not the first time," Frohnhoefer said, of the captain who has a Sea Tow franchise in the Shinnecock and Center Moriches area. "Les has history of saving so many people between Moriches and Shinnecock and other areas along the ocean. It doesn't surprise me."

Trafford, who is not only a Sea Tow captain but also a diver who volunteers with the Hampton Bays Fire Department, said he knew what he had to do when he heard the Mayday calls of a capsized boat in the Shinnecock Inlet. Without a second thought, he jumped on his boat Sunday afternoon and headed out into the choppy waters.

Within five minutes he was in the inlet, helping to search for the captain and deck hand of the commercial fishing boat that overturned.

The Southampton bay constable was leading, but as the wind whipped and the waves intensified as they approached the inlet, Trafford's training kicked in.

"Their boat isn't built for this kinda stuff," said Trafford. "I had to get in there."

Trafford was aware of the dangers, but he said when he heard it was a commercial fishing boat, he said he knew he was bound to know the fishermen. 

"It probably wasn't the brightest thing to do," he said of the risk. 

But, he pushed on and with the help of a call from the beach telling him where to look, and the aid of a Suffolk County police helicopter, with which he was in communication, he was able to pluck Scott Finne, a 45-year-old crew member, from the 50-degree water.

"He was further west that I thought he would be," Trafford said. 

A trained firefighter with 33 years of experience, Trafford said his first instinct was to bring Finne into the cabin, tend to him, and get him to shore quickly, but Finne said he wouldn't go back without his captain, 85-year-old Stian Stiansen, of East Quogue.

"I expected him to be shaking, but he wasn't. He wanted to find his boss," said Trafford who agreed to continue looking.

They made several passes around the overturned fishing vessel and ran inshore, but when Finne relayed the story of what happened, Trafford felt the search may be hopeless. 

Trafford said the ordeal began when Stiansen was navigating the Pauline IV near the "sand bar," which he said is very well known to commercial fisherman and would have been to Stiansen — he fished the inlet for over 50 years.

"He could have had a 15 or 18-foot wave hit him and there ain't no boat that will survive that," Trafford said. 

"Finne told me that Stian never left the wheel and that is how I knew," he recalled.

It was then that Trafford made the decision that it was time to head back. "I was already operating in border-line conditions," he said.

Trafford headed back to work, saddened knowing the fate of Stiansen, whom he knew as a regular face out on the water. 

"I've known him all my life," said Trafford. "He was so excited about fishing — he could never stay away from it and always shared what he knew."

Frohnhoefer said he was on the radio Sunday monitoring the events. "I was listening to the whole thing as it went down," he said. "I am extremely proud of Les."

Saving a life was especially meaningful, Frohnhoefer said, because just four weeks ago, Sea Tow lost its first captain in 30 years of business, when a 34-year-old died in an accident in Great Egg Harbor Inlet in New Jersey.

"It just points out that what we do is extremely dangerous," he said. "These guys are out there 24/7, 365 days a year, and they don't often get the recognition they deserve."

Since Sunday's rescue, Frohnhoefer said he's received numerous emails from spectators who were watching the events unfold.

His voice cracking with emotion, Frohnhoefer said a Coast Guard sector Long Island Sound representative got on the radio and said, "'Sea Tow did an awesome job.' That got me. It's the best day in your life when you can save a life."

Of Trafford, he said, "He's definitely a hero."

Despite losing his wife several months ago, Trafford has carried on, helping others, Frohnhoefer said. "It's tough, but Les still keeps going on. He's a sweetheart of a guy --a great guy. We love him. And his life is the water."

Since the tragic accident, the community has lauded Trafford as a hero, but Trafford remains humble. He said that he didn't save Finne alone, but with the help of other emergency responders. 

Still, Finne's wife Chrissey remains eternally grateful. 

On Patch she wrote, "I want to say how grateful I am that the Sea Tow operator put his own safety aside to help Scott. My kids and I will forever be grateful to him. He is our hero, and I can't wait to meet him, and give him the true hero's salute he deserves."