Sailor is still taking on water

Re “His dream sank, so now what?,” Jan. 15

Now that Ken Barnes Jr. has survived his misadventure at sea, I’d prefer not to read any more about him until he announces how he’ll repay the true heroes of this story. The sailors aboard the Chilean navy boat and the fishing trawler weren’t experiencing a lifelong dream. They were forced, by dint of the rules of the sea, to risk life and limb to rescue Barnes. I doubt the fishermen who lost much-needed wages will be compensated unless Barnes makes it a priority to reimburse them.

DAWNA KAUFMANN

Los Angeles

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Barnes draws an analogy between scuttling his boat and driving an old dog up into the mountains, laying him on his side and driving away, saying, “He was still alive when you left and there wasn’t too much that you could do about it.” If his rescuers had shown Barnes the same lack of compassion he apparently has for a faithful, ailing animal, this sailor’s body would be with his vessel at the bottom of the ocean.

JANE GARCIA

Los Angeles

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Regarding Barnes’ statement that he failed, when we pass on and finally meet our maker, all that many of us will be able to say is something like, “Well, Father, I tried.” And God will look at us and smile and say, “My child, that’s all I wanted you to do.”

RICH LOCASSO

Huntington Beach