Annapolis Capital Punishment

As further evidence of the imminent collapse of western civilization, we learn that the woman who was recently rescued in the Bay (see our post a couple days ago)did not just fall off her boat--SHE JUMPED! That's right-she jumped because she thought the boat would capsize. That was a big storm, although not so unusual for a hot summer afternoon here, but it takes a lot to capsize a 27 foot boat and even so, were it to capsize, it would likely have righted immediately. Instead, this "sailor" leaps to safety, and quickly got separated from her boat--without a PFD. SO, because she was worried the boat might capsize, she throws herself into yet more danger and leaves the one thing that actually floated.

It goes back to the old voyager's adage: "You never step down into a liferaft."

A "PFD" is the official name for a personal flotation device, aka "lifejacket" but I have another name for PFD, as in Pretty F@%^&$! Dumb if you jump off a boat in a storm....especially if you are not wearing one.

Anyhow--happy ending for her...after a lengthy and frantic and costly rescue, she is safe. She must have been a strong swimmer and apparently her strengths are in her legs and lungs, and not further up. Now the question is whether she will use those strong legs and lungs to reproduce and pass on her genes, thereby almost guaranteeing the future need for search and rescue services. Thanks to the Annapolis Fire Dep't and other agencies for the rescue and thanks to The Capital's Pam Wood for tracking this story down. See it at
www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/06_10-08/TOP

The article is oddly headlined "Panic led to Chesapeake rescue" when in reality, it should have read "Panic led to the need for a rescue" and that would have been putting it charitably.