Everyone keeps crying about rescue costs. Do you understand how routine a rescue is?
I knew someone in the Coast Guard who says they did rescues all the time for stranded boaters. A lot of times they go too far away from shore or their engines fail or they have no clue what they are doing.
We dont charge a dime for those rescues, yet you want to charge the parents of this girl?
Or how about lifeguards on the beach? They do rescues all the time on the public dime.
Its always been this way.
“Or how about lifeguards on the beach? They do rescues all the time on the public dime.”
Wrong. Lifeguards are paid by state or local funds via taxes from the citizens. Same as cops. They don’t get paid extra for every kid or adult they rescue from drowning. It’s all in a day’s pay.
In the course of normal Coast Guard operations of course rescue is routine. This girl is WAY outside the main sea lanes where a vessel could rescue her (law of the Sea). This time of year the waves are routinely over 30 feet, the southern Indian Ocean is very cold and the currents unpredictable. This instance of “rescue” should have been prepared for. It is in no way a “routine” rescue. No problem with the cost of a rescue in normal circumstances. This is an underage child who cannot yet drive a car, or sign a contract, vote, drink... you name it. And there is no way she has enough sailing experience to do this deed. So, the world has to come rescue her. The voyage was poorly planned and poorly supported. The sea is not merciful. This is very much like rescuing stranded mountain climbers who expect an answer on their cell phone. Should not happen.