A Florida sailor said he told his dog “Today is not the day to die” when his dream boat started sinking and was rescued in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday after being hit by Hurricane Helen.
Earl Barkham and his 10-year-old golden retriever, Gunn, lived in a 36-foot sailboat named Selkie for a year after their relationship of more than 30 years ended, according to his family.
The 64-year-old spent months tracking the “perfect boat” around the country as he set sail for Florida and “started a new chapter,” Shirley Barcombe said. GoFundMe page.
She added that the yacht was “the culmination of a lifelong dream and gave him solace and purpose after a difficult period in his life.”
During his first year on the water, the adventurous sailor, along with his beloved dog, experienced “peace and healing” until Helen formed in nearby waters.
Barkham planned to sail from Helen, 160 miles south of Sanibel Island, to a sheltered cove, but midway through the voyage, the boat's motor failed.
When the bilge pump malfunctions, water begins to enter the sailboat, and the two men suddenly find themselves standing in chest-high water inside the cabin.
“It was moving mountains of water, no matter which way it turned. And these waves were everywhere.” Barcomb told WBBH.
Barkham turned to his companions and assured them that they would survive.
“I said, Gunn, I'm going to call the Coast Guard because today is not the day we die,” he said.
Barkham frantically called for help from the Coast Guard using his onboard radio, and a helicopter was dispatched to his location, about 40 kilometers west of Sanibel Island.
Rescue crews from USCG Clearwater Air Station discovered the boat on September 26 at approximately 3:00 p.m.
The dramatic rescue was captured on video by the Coast Guard, which showed Barkham and Gunn wearing life vests as they jumped into rough seas and a diver falling into the water as they tried to escape the sinking boat. .
“He fell into the water but swam strong to my boat,” Barcomb told the outlet. “And he said, 'I want you guys in the water right now.'”
When the grateful sailors abandoned ship in the open sea, the two were taken to a helicopter in a basket.
“Earl has lost everything. He has no funds, his dreams have been shattered, and I feel like he won't be able to rebuild from this tragedy without help,” said Shirley Barcomb, whose brother suffered a devastating loss. I wrote about a fundraising campaign aimed at helping people recover from.
After being rescued from a wrecked boat, Balcombe gets back on his feet and has a new outlook on life as he rebuilds.
“So what happens next? Time will tell, is there any hope for me? I have a new understanding, a new understanding, and that's great,” he said. he told the magazine. “It was a new day that made me realize that life was a little more important. It was a new day. So what's there to complain about? I got the shirt and the pants,” Barcomb said. said.
At least 64 people have been killed by Hurricane Helen, which left a trail of devastation from Florida to the Great Lakes region after making landfall Thursday night in the Sunshine State's Big Bend region as a Category 4 storm.
