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Solo Sailor Rescued; Typhoon Bopha Update

Sailor James Blackford is making an unplanned trip to Japan this week aboard the motor vessel Global Explorer. Although a visit to that island nation probably wasn’t part of Blackford’s original cruising itinerary, we’ll bet he’s not complaining. The motor vessel rescued him Tuesday from his disabled sailboat Makalii in a lonely part of the North Pacific, 85 miles northwest of Palmyra Atoll. He’d been drifting for two days.

Blackford’s safe rescue is yet another illustration of the effectiveness of the Automated Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue (AMVER) System, which includes both military and commercial vessels and aircraft all over the world.

After the Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu received an EPIRB alert from Makalii Sunday evening, an HC-130 Hercules long-range reconnaissance plane was dispatched to assess the situation, as radio communication was not possible. Upon the aircraft’s arrival at the scene at 2:30 a.m. Monday, Blackford said that he was uninjured, but that the boat was taking on water. A pump and other gear was dropped to the wayward sailor, and Global Explorer was diverted to rescue him. Makalii was left adrift.

We’re happy to report another happy ending also. Following our report Monday about Super Typhoon Bopha striking Palau, we learned that Richard and Leora Roll of Seattle were unharmed by the big blow, as was their Beneteau 45 Before.

From high above it, Bopha doesn’t look so ominous, but its swirling power proved deadly in the Philippines Islands.

© 2012 Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Not so lucky, however, were thousands of residents of the Philippines — Bopha‘s next target. The death toll, now over 400, has been steadily rising since the storm hit Tuesday with 130-mph winds and a substantial tidal surge. Hundreds more are still unaccounted for as searchers continue the hunt for survivors. Thousands of homes have been wiped out, causing the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to issue an urgent plea for financial assistance. As horrific as this storm was, however, it was not as devastating as a massive storm last December that killed more than 1,200 people and left many more homeless.

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The Santa Barbara Independent has published a fascinating piece on smuggling between Mexico and California that also offered more details in the death of USCG Chief Petty Officer Terrell Horne III on Sunday.