A Friend's Plea...

From a couple we know who spends a lot of time “cruising” on their boats:

Ellen & I are preparing to return to Sirius Endeavour to continue our adventures.  This past summer we had a fabulous time aboard Emerald Rose at the North end of Vancouver Island. 

But the purpose of this note is to make a special request to fellow cruisers and friends.  72 days ago, my cousin, Josh, was on a hike in the East of Iraq when he strayed onto the Iranian border and was arrested and imprisoned along with two friends.  He remains today in an Iranian prison apparently in solitary confinement and without any way to communicate with his parents.  He is the latest pawn the Iranians are using for political gain. 

Ellen and I have known Josh since he was a little boy and like me he graduated from the University of California at Berkeley and loves adventure.  He is an outdoorsman and hiker like his older brother and my nephew Alexander just like I was until I switched to cruising in boats.  It runs in the family.

A website: freethehikers.org has been created to bring his story to the attention of the world in the hope that sufficient pressure can be brought to bear to release him and his two friends from false and unjust imprisonment.  If you would be so kind as to 1. review this website www.freethehikers.org and click on the button at the top: TAKE ACTION and then click to sign an electronic petition for his release and 2. email his plight to others you know that they might also take a step in the direction of their release; I would be greatly pleased. 

I would like to think that as cruisers and adventurers, we are all outraged by Iran's behavior, specially when their Koran specifically states that travelers are to be treated with respect and kindness, not malevolent injustice. 

Thank you for your consideration,
don & ellen

We've been there and done that.  Won't you?