Lost Sailor - Coast Guard

From: Eyes4Hire@aol.com-DeleteThis.com
Date: Mon Apr 15 2002 - 12:17:43 PDT


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Date: Mon, 15 Apr 2002 15:17:43 EDT
Subject: Lost Sailor - Coast Guard
To: wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis.com
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It is looking more and more like the Coast Guard ran a major search and
rescue operation for no good reason yesterday.

A rigged windsurfing sail was found floating more than 1/4 mile offshore.
After 30 minutes, a windsurfer took the initiative to tow it in. I notified
the Coast Guard and canvassed the beach to see if anyone had seen a board or
windsurfer without a sail. There was some concern because of the ebb current
and the fact that 1/2 an hour in the water would be enough time to be pulled
out the Gate. There were reports on the beach that there were 2 or 3 sails
spotted floating offshore and one or two people who thought someone might
have paddled in near the yacht club. We kept the rig tied up in plain sight
so that the owner could recover it if they returned to the beach. By
nightfall the sail was unclaimed but there were no windsurfer vehicles left
in the lots. At this point it seems likely that the owner ditched or lost the
rig and then paddled in and drove home without looking for the rig or
notifying the Coast Guard. Any time the Coast Guard finds a rig, they will
assume someone is out there until it is proved otherwise. The Coast Guard
can't play the odds when a life may be at stake, but it is a shame that
someone didn't use their head so that the search could be called off. The
Coast Guard were very busy with dozens of other emergency calls given the
high winds and high waves.

**** Advise the Coast Guard if gear is lost or left in the water - they won't
search unnecessarily and they might even recover and return the gear for you.

**** If the Coast Guard is looking for a windsurfer or gear and they are
recovered by others or get back to short, let the Coast Guard know so that
they can close the case.

Peter Thorner



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