This is not exactly a Chesapeake Bay story, but I thought you'd find it amazing all the same.

I happened to be working the night shift on Friday when we got a call from Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines about an amazing rescue. Three men from Baltimore --  Gene Cole, Steven Bridges, and Nathaniel Pyle, were rescued by the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship Explorer of the Seas.

The men were sailing from Baltimore to Key West and hit a storm about 150 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., in the Atlantic. The fierce gusts blew out all of their sails, and their radio antenna, so they couldn't call for help. Using a battery, they had a very weak signal and were able to call out ot the cruise ship, which was about 45 minutes away.

You can watch the video here.  It's dramatic. The men were stranded for 11 days, and they were without food and water for 3. They look pretty good here. Their boat, the Tumbleweed, looks pretty battered, though. The ship called the Coast Guard to report it as an abandoned vessel.

The ship gave them a room for the rest of the journey, plus food and entertainment (if they were up for it) and when they docked in Puerto Rico, RC gave them tickets to wherever they wanted to go. They chose their original destination, Key West. I guess they were going to get there one way or another.

I tried, without luck, to find these guys Friday night; I've since been in touch by email with some of their relatives, but still dont know much. Also a few passengers who watched the dramatic rescue wrote in to tell me about it. I think the three men are en route back north and hope they'll be in touch soon.

 I called many of the sailors I know in the area. None knew these three men, but all spoke of the treacherous seas in that part of the ocean.

So here's to Gene, Nate and Steve...welcome back to terra firma, wherever you are. I bet I know which cruise ship you'll book for your next vacation...