Sailing pair, pups, parrot rescued
Published: March 18, 2005
A Florida couple, rescued from 15-foot seas and 30-knot winds when their 26-foot sailboat lost power, expressed thanks Thursday night to their rescuers.
“Our mast was shredded and we had been drifting for 11 hours,” said John Krzysztofiak of Marathon, Fla., who was brought with his wife, Debbie, to the Port of Pascagoula. “Thank God for Capt. Kris and his crew. We had already begun to think about sharks.”
He referred to Capt. Kris Lesakowicz of the Forest Venture, a specialized forest product carrier, out of Cristobal, Panama, who rescued them on the way to load lumber and paper at the port here.
The ship’s crew heard the sailboat’s distress call and brought the couple aboard about 6 a.m. Wednesday, along with their three cocker spaniels and a parrot, about 240 miles due west of Key West.
The Florida couple had left Isla Majeras, Mexicoheaded home, when they ran into rough weather. “The strong currents and wind pushed us off course,” said Krzysztofiak. “It was a smooth rescue, but we had to abandon our sailboat. The captain and crew tried to tow it, but when it began to take on water, we cut it loose. I still have hopes of salvaging it.”
Debbie Krzysztofiak said they were able to get to a shipping lane but their distress call only reached about 25 miles.
“They are a very lucky couple,” said Customs Port Director Richard Bryant. “This could have ended in tragedy.”
“The sailboat was their home, but there was no choice but to abandon it,” said Port Chaplain Adrian Turner of Vancleave who was onboard and watched the rescue. “They had run out of gas and were just drifting.”
Customs agents said the couple’s parrot would be quarantined in the company of the owners for 30 days.
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