Annapolis Capital Punishment

Imagine you are sailing back to England from the Chesapeake and before you even get down the Bay, you run into such serious trouble that you have to call for a rescue--with a flashlight no less. This just happened only a few miles east of Solomons Island, which is one of the deepest, safest and most inviting ports on the east coast. Of course one cannot honestly second-guess the hapless couple who found their flares used up and radio knocked out when they flashed SOS signals ...---...---...---...---...---...--- to a passing ship which alerted the Coast Guard. Imagine if the ship had not seen them--things could have ended up a lot differently.

Crossing the Atlantic to England is one thing, and cruising down Chesapeake Bay is another. Each trip presents safety issues, but imagine if they had found themselves disabled 2000 miles out in the Atlantic. Sailors have to be self-reliant. I can only wonder why they could neither sail or motor themselves to safety. They must have been severely injured. What a way to start a voyage to England--and what a way to end it, but as I said above, it's a good thing they were able to be rescued--and they were in one of the most heavily-traveled bodies of water anywhere. Were they prepared to sail to England? Maybe. Maybe not....or I should say apparently they were not.

See the article in today's Capital: www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/05_19-11/TOP