Originally posted on http://sailing-jworld.blogspot.com Nov 29,2009
Just found this gut wrenching tale on Jworlds blog, some of you may have already heard it, but I had not.
Below is excerpted from their site:
I heard Ray say, “I hear something.” I heard this deep engine roar, like a big ship far away. I lifted my body out the opening and looked out; straight out west was a chopper.
I immediately recognized the US Coast Guard colors. It was orange with that white stripe. I yelled it’s the coast guard, it’s the US coat guard helicopter. They’re here for us. I don’t think they believed me because nobody said anything. I said flare, flare, lets send a flare. Judy didn’t want to waste one because it was daylight. They were abeam of us and if that flare didn’t go fast they would pass us. I grabbed it, Barry held me on to my waist and I unscrewed the bottom, held on the ridged part and pulled the string. It immediately shot out. I aimed it right at them, high up. It went straight up and as its making its way down it becomes red. The helicopter kept going, I couldn’t believe it….
I got choked up reading it and thought others might find it compelling as well.
It’s a four part story here are the links to all four parts:
That story was gripping and alarming; I tried to imagine what I’d have done were I part of that crew. I think I’d be pretty quick to activate that EPIRB were the boat to be flooding.
It was certainly a tale I could not stop reading. I can only hope we never have to go through something like that, but also that we need to be prepared if we do.