There's a new sailboat rescue in the news. Charlotte and Eric Kaufman were onboard their 36-foot sailboat (a Hans Christian) Rebel Heart traveling from Mexico to New Zealand when they placed an emergency distress call to the U.S. Coast Guard. They were 900 miles off the coast of Cabo San Lucas.
The most significant of their problems was that their one-year old daughter had contracted salmonella-like symptoms and was very ill. She had a high temperature and a rash. The Kaufmans had two daughters on the boat: Lyra (one) and Cora (three).
The second of the Kaufman's problems was that their boat's steering and power were malfunctioning. Both the U.S. Coast Guard and the California Air National Guard were involved in the rescue, which involved a parachute operation.
The Kaufman's ordeal has aroused compassion in many and frustration in just as many, while questions are raised as to whom should foot the bill for these rescue operations.
"The last thing we want you to do if you are in distress is to weigh whether or not you can afford it because you're afraid we're going to come after you for reimbursement," Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Game Somma told CBS News.
But similar helicopter rescue operations can cost up to $11,000 an hour, while the Coast Guard's largest search aircraft costing up to $20,000 an hour to simply operate.
The Kaufman's daughter responded immediately to medication, and the whole family is safe and sound. And that is certainly what what matters most in these circumstances. A Facebook support page enlisted donations to help the family, who were full time cruisers onboard Rebel Heart and lost their home in the ordeal.
We've chosen to report on the story not because the Kaufmans had anything to do with the Chesapeake Bay sailing scene (for all we know they've never even visited), or because we have an opinion on the situation. We do want to hear from Bay sailors and full-time cruisers: what do you think of the story? Was the passage too risky with small children? When you're at sea and you assume risk, whom do you think should be responsible for a rescue of this magnitude?
For now, the Kaufmans are keeping shy of the media to tend to their baby daughter. We think it's important to note that they were an experienced couple of sailors and had been living on the boat for years, in the process of circumnavigating with their young family. The father was also a USCG-licensed sea captain, and before leaving the vessel was listed as in sound condition by multiple sources.
