UPDATED: February 24, 2022
Don Cavers, the captain of SV Starlight tells his gripping story of shipwreck, survival at sea in a life raft and eventual rescue.
The reporter, of CBC News posted his story on February 23, 2022.
She does a great job of putting details of the story together from interviews with Don Cavers, the family, Boatwatch.org, the Canadian Mission Control Centre and the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Trenton, Ontario.
The Rescue Coordination Center in Miami, Florida as well as USCG San Juan, Puerto Rico assisted the Rescue Center in Canada. Both organizations are a part of Canada’s national search and rescue operations.
The link to the printed story and short video is below. Don Cavers’ gripping tale of his rescue at sea is in a longer audio link below also.
Click to see the printed story with short video:
Nacho chips, crackers and tiny fish: How a B.C. senior survived on the open sea for nearly 6 days
Click to hear the audio of the Don Cavers’ gripping tale:
Daybreak Kamloops with Shelley Joyce
“Blind Bay man survives 5.5 days on the Caribbean Sea after his sailboat sank”
Photo of Don Cavers life raft aboard the rescue ship, Bulk Carrier Pangaea courtesy of Don Cavers.
BOLO CANCELLED
UPDATE: Dec. 14, 2021 3PM
Great News: Sailor Found in his life raft by merchant ship
A merchant ship, Bulk Pangaea, 225 meters long answered the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER) alert sent by RCC Miami and searched at the last position pinged from the PLB and found him at 21-08.35 N/o83-41W. The merchant ship rescued him from his life raft. He is in good health and on his way to Jamaica.
Many thanks to the crew of the Bulk Pangaea, RCC Miami, JRCC Trenton and MRCC Cuba.
Broadcast Version For Maritime Mobile Service Network and Other Nets
The JRCC Trenton Canada received a PLB activation at 0110 hrs UTC, 12 Dec 2021 from the S/V STARLIGHT II south of Cuba with single handed sailor Dan Cavers aboard. The Cuban authorities are said to have responded to the scene but have found nothing.
UPDATE: Dec. 14, 2021- Updated coordinates from PLB given by Canadian Dept of National Defence (JRCC Trenton)
2108.067 North 08338.6 West at 1728 Zulu.
The S/V STARLIGHT II is a 38′ Erikson sloop, registered in Canada, who departed Puerto Vellero, Colombia destined for Puerto Rico.
All vessels in the vicinity of Isla De La Juventud Cuba and towards Mexico are requested to keep a sharp lookout and report any sightings to the USCG or any SAR authority.
The USCG received a PLB activation at 0110 hrs UTC, 12 Dec 2021 from the S/V STARLIGHT II with singlehanded sailor Dan Cavers aboard in position 21-14.80N / 083-20.33W, or approx 20 NM SW of Cabo Pepe on the Isla De La Juventud, Cuba.
The S/V STARLIGHT II is a 38′ Erikson sloop, registered in Canada, who departed Puerto Vellero, Colombia destined for Puerto Rico. He had alternator problems prior to getting underway and figured the voyage to be approximately 5 days. He was last heard from on 02 Nov 2021 via Iridium phone.
The Cuban Coast Guard responded with negative results.