Updates

 

Well, it’s just been too darn long since my last post, and I apologize! A member of my family who lives here in the same town has needed some help and it’s taken a huge chunk of time. Add to that the fact that my computer just up and died over a week ago. I was fortunate in that it was a bad power supply and not very expensive to fix. After sitting in the shop for a week it is back up and running. Now, I’d like to give an update on a few items.

Woody, the sailor in a previous entry, says there are two different magazines interested in his story. Woody sent me the story he wrote himself and I must say it will make for good reading if it gets published. There are two different magazines he is talking to. If it gets into print, I will let you all know here.

A lot of you wanted to know if the Coast Guard ever found the EPIRB signal I wrote about in my "Victory at Sea" entry. No, they did not. That same helicopter did, however, rescue two men that same day whose boat had sunk offshore. These two were interviewed the next morning on the "Today Show."

It is not that unusual for the Coast Guard not to find the source of the EPIRB signal. These devices sometimes go off by themselves if they are bumped or dropped accidentally. When the owners find them on they will turn them off and not report to the Coast Guard that the signal belonged to them. I think, sometimes, they don’t report it because of a fear of a huge time delay once they call it in. Also, there are big fines for setting these signals off when there is no emergency.

Once an EPIRB signal goes off, the Coast Guard MUST search for the source of the signal. They have to keep looking even after the signal disappears if they have not yet identified the source of that signal. Most of the EPIRB signals float. If it has been set off and floating, the Coasties almost always find it. If the signal stops, the unit has been turned off, or theboat it is attached to has sunk and pulled it under the water. The signal can no longer be picked up once the device goes underwater.

There were no reports that day or the next of any vessels missing in our area. I would say it is a good bet that a passing boat realized that their signal had been activated, turned it off, and kept right on going. It happens!

The photo that appears at the top of this entry is one I snapped while out on the water a few weeks ago. It bears no significance to this entry other than I thought it was interesting and decided to share it with you.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you who have Emailed me or left comments expressing concern over my absence.