In February 2023, Coast Guard station Cape Disappointment in Oregon got a mayday call from a mariner who was in trouble on a day meant for trouble.
The wind was howling, waves rolling at 20 feet, and a 35-foot fishing boat was taking on water at the mouth of the Columbia River sand bar — popularly known as the Graveyard of the Pacific, one of the most dangerous crossings in the world.
Nearby, a Jayhawk helicopter crew at the Coast Guard rescue school was conducting training exercises and responded, lowering swimmer John "Branch" Walton into the high seas. Stunning video shows Walton swimming toward the boat when a huge wave flips the boat over like a toy, throwing the mariner overboard. Walton, though dragged under the water himself, nonetheless managed to reach the mariner and both were lifted up to the helicopter, according to The New York Times. A few hours later, Walton officially graduated from his training.
The story had a strange twist, however. The mariner, who had a history of criminal and erratic behavior, had stolen the boat. He was subsequently arrested.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.
