The News This Week

For sailors, cruisers and all of us who love the sailing and boating life, this has been a terrible week in the news. On the West Coast, 34 divers who rejoiced in the life aquatic and all things to do with the sea lost their lives while aboard a dive boat. The horror of the accident and the questions that are raised will linger for a long time as will the grief we all share for the families of those lost in the fire. At this point, it is important for all of us who live on our boats and carry explosive fuels to make sure that we have taken all precautions to prevent a fire and prepared ourselves and our on-board systems to fight a fire if necessary.
But what can you do about a Cat 5 hurricane? The news from the Northern Bahamas on Wednesday is of a catastrophic collision with the second most deadly North Atlantic hurricane on record. At least seven Bahamians have been lost and the count is not complete, I am sure.  Our friends who run the charter company Cruise Abaco sent us a note that you will see posted below and it sums up just how this storm has affected so many lives. In this case, there is a lot we can do to help those in need in the Bahamas. Check out this article in the New York Times to see what you can do today. And keep in mind, that going forward it will be years before the Abacos recover and it will be our donations, volunteer actions and tourist dollars that drive the recovery of this lovely but not very wealthy country.