Monday, December 21, 2009

Hurry Up and Wait


It's that time of year when the boat parade comes to San Diego Bay. Last Sunday, Ben, Lola and I rowed out to the end of the mooring field with Markitos, Adam & Jasmine, and Justin & Anna to watch the parade of lights.  I didn't bring my camera this year since I got a bunch of pictures last year.  Last week's parade was pretty uneventful, but Ben, Lola & I rowed out again last night to check out Round 2. 

The parade seemed to get a late start and we were waiting a while before we started seeing boats.  The delayed start was the result of an accident in which a Coast Guard boat responding to an emergency call careened into a boat full of parade watchers and ended up killing an 8-year old boy and injuring 5 others.  You can read the article here.  Not a very cheery way to kick off the holiday. 

The thing that most perplexes me is why the Coast Guard boat was speeding to respond to a grounded boat... a boat that wasn't going anywhere fast... on a night when there were most likely record numbers of boats out watching the parade.  It's upsetting to think that the very people who are supposed to protect us are often times the people we need protection from.  I realize accidents happen, but this one just seems so senseless.  My heart goes out to the family of the boy.  I can't imagine the pain they must be feeling.

4 comments:

  1. Wow, that's scary and ridiculous and stoopid and tragic. Reminds me of my friends untimely death. He was sitting in a car waiting to make a left turn at an intersection, when he got hit by a speeding police car, chasing somebody with no siren. It was so sad, he was only 22.

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow, i'm really sorry to hear that. it seems like that's happening more and more lately. people need to slow down and think before they react. everyone is always in such a hurry these days. :(

    ReplyDelete
  3. Did you hear they are going to cancel the New Years Fire Works? I guess they think it's not safe on the Bay anymore.

    ReplyDelete
  4. really? last i checked it wasn't the fireworks killing people. ri-god-damn-diculous. well, we can improvise.

    ReplyDelete