Up-close encounter with dual waterspouts wows Florida boaters on river: ‘Like angels flying to Heaven’

What started as an ordinary afternoon on a Florida river quickly morphed into a breathtaking and heart-pounding spectacle for boaters.

Two colossal waterspouts descended from the storm-laden skies over the Manatee River in Bradenton on Sunday, dancing perilously close to one surprised vessel.

A waterspout is a funnel that contains an intense vortex, sometimes destructive, of small horizontal extent and which occurs over a body of water, according to NOAA.

Among those with a front-row seat to Mother Nature’s dramatic performance were Jeni Scheid and her daughter, Madisyn, who captured up-close videos of the incredible waterspouts. 

“A waterspout touched down right next to us on the boat!” an exhilarated Jeni Scheid recounted in a social media post along with clips of the harrowing event. “Never seen anything this crazy so close!”

As if one wasn’t enough, she added, “another is forming behind us as we run from the storms!!”

Scheid said her daughter’s Snapchat stories also vividly underscored just how intimately close they were to the swirling vortexes.

Her footage and unfiltered experience show the first column of water and wind roaring to life mere yards from their watercraft, followed shortly by the ominous appearance of a second.

“It looked like angels flying up to Heaven,” Scheid said.

While many believe a waterspout is simply a tornado over water, this is only partially true. Depending on their formation, NOAA says waterspouts come in a couple of different types: tornadic and fair weather.

Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown and his wife also witnessed these dual fair-weather spout beauties, confirming they remained safely over the water, posing no threat or impact to the city.

All waterspouts should be taken seriously, no matter the type.

The National Weather Service issues Special Marine Warnings when waterspouts have been detected by Doppler radar or are reported by local law enforcement or storm spotters.

In most cases, waterspouts that make landfall are significantly weaker than tornadoes, produce little or no damage and quickly dissipate. The NWS issues Tornado Warnings in these instances.

More storms are in the forecast for Thursday. Boaters should exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant before and during their time on the water.