I had to call the Coast Guard

Titusville is an interesting place.

Heather and I were just finishing our sundowners. I had gone below to to tighten the stuffing box on the prop shaft when she tells me that there is someone yelling SOS and help me. I grabbed the binoculars and had a look. I could see a person on an object. They were flashing their cell phone screen. Not wanting to leave a poor soul stranded, we lowered the dink. Heather had me take a radio and Sasha, figuring I would have communication and protection. So off we go in search of the helpless.

It was still light enough for me to see the target drifting across the lagoon. When I got there I found a young, 16, boy with his bicycle on a large block of styrofoam. He had found the block on the other side of the bridge and thought it would be fun to paddle it across, until he lost his paddle. I pushed him to the boat ramp by the municipal marina where he pulled the block from the water. During the trip in he shared that this was not the stupidest thing he has ever done on a “boat”, the last one involving two 55 gallon drums and some boards.

I asked him to try and make this the last stupid thing he does. Also, in the future to ask himself two questions; one, will he die from doing whatever he is going to do and two, has he done everything he can to prevent dying. He was mostly afraid of sharks.

Just is case someone else heard him and called the Coast Guard I called them to let them know what happened. Lets just say they were amused…

Here is Perfect Partner in the sunset.

S/V Perect Partner at sunset