July 31, 2007 Dear Editor: How do you thank the people who pulled your wife, your two dogs and yourself from the Gulf of Mexico? On Sunday afternoon, my wife Nancy and our two dogs, Desi and Goldie, sailed over to Seahorse Key in our 17 foot Mudhen (a boat too big to be righted by two people if it ever capsizes). We played on the beach at Seahorse for awhile and had a nice downwind sail on the way back to Piney Point where we live. When we were almost home I tried to combine a jibe with a turn upwind without letting the sail out after the jibe. This was not a good idea. Our boat was knocked down and all four of us (plus numerous cushions, ice chest, etc) went overboard in what seemed like slow motion. The boat was floating but lying on its side with sails under the water. We were in the water for about five minutes trying to figure out what to do (we were especially worried about the dogs) when Bud and Jonya Collins came by in their bird dog. Bud and Jonya were on their way back from a nice day on the water with their two children (who were tired) and probably all were a little anxious to get home. Yet they came right to us and insisted on salvaging everything from our mishap. Bud spent quite a bit of time in the water gathering equipment and trying to get the boat's mast in a position ready to tow to shore. Bud even started to bail out the sailboat after towing it to shore very near our home. I practically had to drag him away from that job so that he and Jonya could get their children home. Thanks to Bud and Jonya we were able to get our boat home safe and sound on Monday's rising tide. Because of their efforts a potential disaster was turned into an event that will be a funny and fond memory ("Do you remember the time when..... ?) Bud thinks that he and Jonya did nothing out of the ordinary -- it was he said "The way of the ocean." It sure seems more personal than that to us. Thank you Bud and Jonya. Sincerely,
Jerry, Nancy, Desi and Goldie Salamon | 