I've been following this forum and gathering very helpful information and counsel for many years. In fact, I'm one among your so-called "credit card captains." This is one explanation for my interest...I live in Indiana (and love it), but make a deliberate point of traveling to, and learning more and more about the wonders of the Virgin Islands almost every year and, especially, the timeless craft of sailing whenever I can visit the place that has for me been a treasure since my dad first took me down in the mid 80's. And nearly every time I visit, sail and explore, I have the opportunity to introduce others to something that for me has been life changing. And I gain important wisdom from so many in this online community who have enriched that experience, which makes me a little better at doing every time I come down. I hope and trust that, for all of us, this is true in many area of our lives.

In view of this humble background, I wanted to pipe in with a shout-out to those of you who have been expressing grace toward the skipper who is the subject of this thread and who has recently endured a really difficult and probably terrifying experience.

I'm nothing approaching the kind of serious sailor to whom special respect is owed, or expected. But I'll confess that I truly love visiting this discussion when encouragement and compassion win out over ridicule and condemnation. I think we can all be assured that this particular seafarer will take important lessons from this experience...and be better for it. And better the yet if what he is hearing from his fellow travelers in this important space is meant to build him up when he is already down.

Shifty