12.000 N 080 15.500
We heard some sad news in the local gossip. The day we arrived here in Stuart, a woman cruiser on a neighboring mooring died. We heard that they brought her to the dock in a dinghy to meet an ambulance and paramedics, but to no avail. She died anyhow. We did not meet this woman but still our hearts go out to her family.
On the other hand, this woman died swiftly and while doing something she loved. That's how I would like to go. I want to die with my boots on. Heck, doesn't everyone want the same thing? No sane person would hope for a lingering death with lots of suffering for all involved.
I heard a true story about a fellow Westsail 32 owner. He went out for a day sail one day on the Indian River, here in Florida. He didn't return. The next day his son found the boat beached on the side of the river with his dad's body still holding the tiller. That type of passage inspires more admiration rather than grief in one's loved ones.
Anyhow, death aboard a cruising boat is a rare occasion. Although the probability of death for cruisers is 100.00%, just like everyone else, I guess that most of them move ashore when they get ill.
p.s. You may ask the obvious question. Shouldn't the title of this blog post be "Death On Board?" Well, that would surely be logical. However, it would cause a great deal of alarm among my readers as they feared the worst before reading the body of the post. I like my readers. I have no desire to shock them.
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I think most do move ashore when they get ill. Not from a lack of desire but just the poor feeling that comes with illness. In my case on bad days just trying to breath takes all I have. With only 30% of my heart left I just don't have the "oomph".
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