WARETOWN — Sea Tow Central New Jersey Captains Walt Bohn and Dan Siegel have been honored by Sea Tow Services International for a nighttime rescue in Barnegat Bay that saved a 72-year-old clammer after hours in frigid water.
The company presented Bohn and Siegel with its “Efforts Above and Beyond” award during Sea Tow’s 2025 annual meeting in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The two captains also were recognized with a congressional proclamation from U.S. Rep. Jefferson Van Drew for the same rescue.
Sea Tow Central New Jersey covers Barnegat Bay, Barnegat Inlet and nearby Atlantic Ocean waters.
The award stems from a search-and-rescue mission involving John Mazzi, who had gone clamming and failed to return home. After Mazzi’s wife notified authorities, the U.S. Coast Guard launched a multi-agency search.
Bohn and Siegel, working with the Coast Guard, found Mazzi at about 2 a.m. roughly 200 yards from his boat. Officials said Mazzi had spent about 12 hours fighting to survive after becoming stranded on a sandbar in shallow water in freezing conditions.
The Sea Tow crew brought Mazzi aboard their vessel. A Coast Guard rescue swimmer and basket were then lowered to the boat, and Mazzi was airlifted to an ambulance before being taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Van Drew’s proclamation praised the captains for their heroism and service in Ocean County, saying their actions brought honor to their community, New Jersey and the nation.
“Captain Dan Siegel and Captain Walter Bohn represent the very best of New Jersey,” Van Drew said in a statement. “When others are heading in because the weather turns or the situation gets tough, these men head out to help.”
Sea Tow President Kristen Frohnhoefer said the captains demonstrated the kind of commitment the company values in serving the boating community.
Bohn, general manager of Sea Tow Central New Jersey, said the recognition was meaningful and reflected the crew’s commitment to protecting area boaters.
Sea Tow Central New Jersey operates from Key Harbor Marina in Waretown. The company says its fleet is positioned to respond in less than an hour, and its Coast Guard-licensed captains bring more than 80 years of combined experience on the water.
To read our story with John Mazzi, click here.
