Bob and Cathryn live near Gig Harbor and have been boaters in various forms for most of their lives in everything from day sailors to kayaks to racing sailboats and larger power boats. On retiring in 2007 they took up boating as a more serious activity preparing for, then traveling the Great Loop in 2012-13, beginning and ending the 7,000 mile journey in Florida.

Since then they have owned several motor vessels from 40 to 48 feet, and currently have a 2007 Navigator 48 Restless II. They have traveled from Puget Sound to the Broughton archipelago many times, Alaska four times, and are leaving May 1 for their fifth trip to Alaska this summer. One year they had a mechanical problem that led to a life-threatening hot water burn and Canadian Coast Guard helicopter rescue.

During the 17 years they have cruised the PNW they have listened to many Mayday calls on VHF 16. Generally they have only heard the Coast Guard side of those calls given their more powerful antennas. They learned a lot listening to those calls but were never close to the boat calling for help to respond.

Summer 2023 changed that when in three days they heard two Mayday calls and were the closest boat able to respond in both cases.