Re: [Paddlewise] more on Coast Guard rescues

 This whole thing brings to mind a program I saw on the history channel a
while back. There was a freighter foundering somewhere in the North
Atlantic, back in the 30's or 40's I believe. The Captain refused to be
rescued when another ship arrived and took the rest of the crew back to
shore. He was going to stay with his listing ship until it either sank
(which it was in grave danger of) or it was towed to safety. So he stayed
on, alone, after everyone else left. A tug was sent out, and the attempt to
tow the ship failed several times, during which (I forget exactly how) one
of the tug crewmembers ended up in the listing ship with the Captain for a
number of very rough stormy days. More ships were sent out into the storm
to rescue the sinking one, one of which made another attempt to tow it back
in. All the while, the Captain steadfastly refused to give up his ship and
be rescued. As it turned out, the ship eventually sank anyway, the Captain
did jump off and was finally rescued, and he received a hero's welcome when
he returned to the mainland. The gallant Captain who would not give up his
ship.

Am I the only one who thinks that he was a fool, who needlessly put the
lives of many other people at risk by declining rescue when the opportunity
first arose?



Wayne
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