It is quite true it seems that people give up before thier boat does, that boat is looking real good there, nice and high. I just had an acquaintance leave a boat halfway to Bermuda over similar problems. They too are going to try to find it. In the meantime it is a navigational hazard. We won't talk about the folly of a passage New York to Bermuda in winter or hurricane season. A passage west coast to Hawaii is also very questionable in November. One must do these voyages in season. Fatigue, seasickness, fear, isolation even the desire for a hot meal and a shower and many other emotional things run thru ones head on passage. Having been there in the Bering Sea, Davis Strait and the open Pacific, I have felt the need to have Scotty 'beam" me out of there once or twice. My skipper buddy Winston calmly remarked while we were hove to 500 miles north of Dutch Harbour in 50 knot winds and 25' plus seas that "today may be the day we capsize" he having survived a roll over in a ketch off Africa, he would know. I climbed back into my bunk and prayed. Hitting the overhead of your bunk when the boat falls off a wave for the 9 hundreth time adding to your fatigue, lonliness and illness. The major difference on voyages I have been on is the lack of long range radio gear aboard, by choice. Once committed to go to sea, you are on your own. 2 friends of mine and myself sailed 7500 miles West to East thru the fabled Northwest Passage in 1995 and our credo was, "no outside help" . It is amazing how creative and to what depths humans can pull reserves when the alternative is not available. We had a fine adventure becasuse we were well prepared. It didn't succeed because of the amount of gear aboard which was minimal, as we sailed a supremely tough little 27 foot wheelhouse equiped motor sailor built in steel. It worries me that when ill found voyages need rescueing it adds fuel to the flame for all expeditions/cruises be bonded for rescue. We do not want to loose our freedom to travel and adventure without having to post bonds, and be inspected etc. my 2 cents
