Kirk Lightbourne
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This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.
It wasn´t Kirk Lightbourne's time to die, but alone, 1,000 miles out in the Pacific, he came very close. It happened in November of 1995, Lightbourne, age 82, a sailor for 70 years, set out from San Diego, California, single-handing his 27-foot sloop, Cazador, bound for Hawaii and the South Pacific: then under sunny skies - but it would not stay that way.
Seven days into the voyage, following the Great Circle route to Hilo, the weather began to turn mean. Winds of 40-knots swept in; seas built quickly, Lightboune went forward to shorten sail. A rogue wave of great height and force struck the boat, sending Lightbourne overboard. The harness strapped on held him alongside the boat.
In the way that a miracle may happen, an airplane flying off course to avoid the sudden storm flew over Lightbourne's boat and heard the signal of an EPIRB. (Lightbourne must have flicked on the emergency switch of his personal device upon going overboard!) The plane radioed the Coast Guard, giving the Cazador's coordinates (location.) A fishing trawler, located within 10-miles of Lightbourne´s boat was notified and set course to find Lightbourne´s boat.
Lightbourne was found unconscious - wild seas sending him forcibly against the side of his boat. Two crewmen off the fishing trawler got Lightbourne back on board his boat, but were unable to give needed medical attention. USAF Pararescue, a team of four para-medic paratroopers were flown in a C-130 plane to over Lightboune's location - the Cazador was too far out for helicopter rescue. The medics jumped from a height of 2000-feet into raging seas to save Lightbourne's life. And did. Successfully. (On appearances on national and local TV programs. Lightboune praised and thanked the trawler´s crew and paramedics who saved his life.)
Lightbourne is a well-known piano tuner at Valley Theaters (Arizona), a former big-band trumpet player and an avid sailor. He has lived in the Scottsdale area for 33 years and is well known to local sailors and to over 1200 customers whose pianos he serviced. THAI is his sixth novel.
In her youth lies a story within itself. At age two, she was swimming without assistance. At age six, she was an active participant on her father's fish-boat - a two-masted deep water schooner. At age seventeen she was the captain on the schooner, in full charge.
Through early years, attending school, she was popular, mostly well-liked; but there were times when defensive actions were necessary -- pugilistic happenings. These incidents, likely brought on because of the strange behavior of Thai's left eye and her crooked smile -- defects formed at birth. Even so, those who challenged her aggressively were to limit the encounter to one challenge. Thai's pugilistic ability respected.
In high-school Thai was awarded honors for highest achievements at swimming events -- competitions. Swimming was her most favored sport and recreation, particularly long-distance swims.
At age eighteen, Thai lost her parents - mother and father killed in an airplane crash. Tragic happenings continued: The fishing fleet, of which Thai's father's schooner was involved, were advised to leave the harbor of their anchorage. The Coast Guard was to take possession. The move was beyond Thai's financial means. Without employment, Thai decided to leave the small fishing settlement and go to the city - a metropolis she had never visited.
By a string of bizarre circumstances that revealed Thai's talents, Thai was accepted into active participation in a rogue crime-stop agency. Adventures involving gangsters, drug smugglers, child abductors, problems of illegal immigrants, involve Thai and two trained dolphins in seemingly impossible, dangerous missions.
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