Search for Merrill Continues - His Wallet and Lifejacket found still in the boat

Washington Post Staff Writer ^ | Sunday, June 11, 2006; 12:27 PM | By Ernesto Londoño

[Mongeaux]

Rescuers using small boats, a helicopter and a C-130 aircraft searched a portion of the Chesapeake Bay today for missing diplomat and publisher Philip Merrill, whose sailboat was found adrift last night, Coast Guard authorities said.

Officials from the Maryland Natural Resources Police and the Coast Guard began searching overnight the area between the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the point where his boat was found, which is roughly 20 miles south of Annapolis. The search area is roughly 25 miles by 8 miles, said Coast Guard Lt. Commander Adam Mach. Rescuers using small boats, a helicopter and a C-130 aircraft searched a portion of the Chesapeake Bay today "As far as I know, he was a fairly experienced sailor," Mach said. "His wife said he was in that area quite a bit."

[battlegearboat]

First, you have to start with PT-109.

[1066AD]

Took a leak over the rail and lost his balance ?

[JockoManning]

From the article: 'A small craft advisory was issued yesterday for most of the Chesapeake Bay because of wind and waves. The advisory remained in effect today.'



### end of quote ###

Bad wind and waves, small craft advisory. 72-y.o. man sailing alone wihtout a life jacket? Hmmm ... and Sigh. Doesn't sound good.

Hope those searching for him stay safe.

Sad.

[battlegearboat]

Battle of Hastings?

[buccaneer81]

Damn. With credits like those, kinda makes you wonder why he wasn't up in Ottawa with the Bilderbergers.

[battlegearboat]

Maybe he is.

[STARWISE]

AAah ... I have a suspicion this fun and frolic was capitalized by an Irishman's prohibition Scotch fortune .. ;)

[drhogan]

The Senator eyed the two young blondes through the martini haze. He sucked in his gut and tried to focus his watery, blood-shot eyes. as the attractive, scantily-clad young women came into focus, he realized with a start that there was only one of them.
"Fooled again", he chuckled to himself.
He took another swig from his almost-empty glass, and staggered toward the object of his desire.
"Hi, cream muffin--I'm Ted Kennedy".

[battlegearboat]

oooh..I was hoping you'd contribute another chapter, but I understand.

Too much time wasted talking about our national disgrace.

I hope Mr. Merrill is a survivor.

[Exit148]

Operating a boat that size - at any age - is risky. At that age, any boating is risky because of sudden medical risks.

My first thought, because of a boat that size, is the boom. Even with calculated tacks you have to be careful. With the wind conditions, and if he was before the wind, he could have had one terrible hit by the boom. I would assume that he had all sorts of sail gadgets so that he wouldn't have to leave the cockpit, but the boom is a swinging bat and he may have been standing at the wheel. A bad target.

[STARWISE]

HEAVY hitter ..

[Peach]

I lost a good friend to what the Coast Guard believes were pirates; it's possible that's what happened here. They dump the body overboard, repaint the boat and use it for a short period of time running drugs and then sell the boats.

[STARWISE]

His boat was there .. he was gone. Your friend is right .. .. pirating is still going on in the Bahamas... drug and human smugglers.

[Peach]

You can tell I'm just quickly scrolling through my pings and didn't read the article :-)

This is very odd that he'd be missing but the boat is still intact.

[STARWISE]

:)

[stopem]

What are you implying? Foul play?

[KeepUSfree]

We just don't have lots of pirates here on the bay....a little too crowded for their liking.....

[Inge_CAV]

He needed a bigger boat.........

[GAB-1955]

"I lost a good friend to what the Coast Guard believes were pirates; it's possible that's what happened here. They dump the body overboard, repaint the boat and use it for a short period of time running drugs and then sell the boats."

No. It was in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay, and they found the boat. Most likely he was forward adjusting the sails when a sudden wind pitched him into the water. Let's put the conspiracy theories back in the box; this happens to sailors all the time on the Bay.

[OC_Steve]

The thing about a shark, chief - he's got dead eyes...lifeless eyes...like a Democrats' eyes. Till he bite yer wallet. Then those eyes mist over brightly. And then you hear the terrible, high-pitched whinin'.

Coffee on an LCD Monitor is not a pretty thing.