"If you're prepared and you can make some good decisions, that's a survivor instinct. I wasn't planning on checking out anytime soon. I've got a lot more surfing to do yet," said Baker.
The 61-year-old was surfing off the coast of Freeport around 12:30pm Thursday afternoon when strong winds and waves sucked him out in the Gulf. Rather than fight the current, he paddled 17 miles to an offshore drilling rig. He climbed aboard at 2am. He says he never really panicked and his biggest concern was hypothermia.
"I knew as long as I could reach a rig to climb up on, I wouldn't be in that much trouble. I just had to get out of the wind and get warmed up," said Baker.
The rig workers gave Baker dry clothes and hot mushroom soup. He says he has a sunburn, cuts on his feet and his eyes are blood shot, but otherwise he's in good shape and very thankful.
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