Sorry for the long layoff, I have been contemplating the name of my blog and its usefulness?
Living and prospering at over 60.
I think I have the living part down, but the prospering part is a little hard to get a handle on.
I an prospering at the health and wellness stuff, although we have 12 weeks to the international Detroit Marathon, and I am 6 weeks behind in my training.
That's all I got today
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Towboat US Saves sailboat off Ecorse shore
July 4th hot humid and plenty of sun. Until around five in the afternoon when the storms started firing up and roaring through.
What started as a peaceful day for a sail boater, turned deadly as he headed up river towards Detroit. Just after passing mud island, he turned around to avoid heading into a storm. He made the wise decision to head back to safer water, however, he seemed to realize he would not make it so he turn around centering the boat in the channel and putting it's head into the wind. great decision, except he was a little off course and was blown into a sand bar and grounded. As he was trying to get off the sand bar, trying everything from putting up the sails to gunning his engine, along came a tow boat from boat US. the tow boat headed his way and managed to get a line on the front of the sailboat. For about a half hour the tow boat struggled to try and pull him out, but to no avail.
Right about then they both realized that the main part of the storm was about to hit them. The tow boat turned into the eye of the storm, and kept a steady pull on the sailboat to keep it upright and into the wind.
Its a good thing, because at that point, 50 mile per hour winds and the full furry of the storm hit.
We were on our porch, due west of the scene, and as the storm blew through, we lost sight of the vessels as the rain and wind tore down West Jefferson. the storm raged for what seemed like hours, but was probably only 20 to 30 minutes. As the storm started to abate, we gradually were able to see the two boats again. the tow boat was still doggedly keeping the sailboat into the wind, and the sailboat was still upright and stuck.
Soon after, the sun came out and another tow boat who was obviously called showed up, and they soon had the sailboat ungrounded and on its way.
The story has a happy ending, but my wife and I both think that the tow boat operator saved the lives of those on board the sailboat as the storm would have surely capsized the grounded boat. the tow boat captain will probably go unrecognized, but those of us who witnessed the whole show understand how much jeopardy the tow boat captain put his life in danger to save the sailboat.
Yes it was his job, but in this instance he went above and beyond the call of duty.
Great job captain.
take care and check back later
randy
What started as a peaceful day for a sail boater, turned deadly as he headed up river towards Detroit. Just after passing mud island, he turned around to avoid heading into a storm. He made the wise decision to head back to safer water, however, he seemed to realize he would not make it so he turn around centering the boat in the channel and putting it's head into the wind. great decision, except he was a little off course and was blown into a sand bar and grounded. As he was trying to get off the sand bar, trying everything from putting up the sails to gunning his engine, along came a tow boat from boat US. the tow boat headed his way and managed to get a line on the front of the sailboat. For about a half hour the tow boat struggled to try and pull him out, but to no avail.
Right about then they both realized that the main part of the storm was about to hit them. The tow boat turned into the eye of the storm, and kept a steady pull on the sailboat to keep it upright and into the wind.
Its a good thing, because at that point, 50 mile per hour winds and the full furry of the storm hit.
We were on our porch, due west of the scene, and as the storm blew through, we lost sight of the vessels as the rain and wind tore down West Jefferson. the storm raged for what seemed like hours, but was probably only 20 to 30 minutes. As the storm started to abate, we gradually were able to see the two boats again. the tow boat was still doggedly keeping the sailboat into the wind, and the sailboat was still upright and stuck.
Soon after, the sun came out and another tow boat who was obviously called showed up, and they soon had the sailboat ungrounded and on its way.
The story has a happy ending, but my wife and I both think that the tow boat operator saved the lives of those on board the sailboat as the storm would have surely capsized the grounded boat. the tow boat captain will probably go unrecognized, but those of us who witnessed the whole show understand how much jeopardy the tow boat captain put his life in danger to save the sailboat.
Yes it was his job, but in this instance he went above and beyond the call of duty.
Great job captain.
take care and check back later
randy
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