An aircrew from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Astoria hoists an 80-year-old man who had an object lodged in his throat from the cruise ship Ruby Princess 184 miles west of Cape Flattery, Washington, Thurs, Sept. 11, 2025. Air Station Astoria has been serving the people of the Pacific Northwest since its inception on August 14, 1964. (U.S. Coast Guard video courtesy of Air Station Astoria edited by Petty Officer 3rd Class Daylan M. Garlic-Jackson)
Chief Warrant Officer Kristopher David McGhee (he really prefers just David) has lived a bright life; lit by the opportunities and experiences of his 32 years in the Coast Guard. He will retire next month after an illustrious and accomplished career.
A 30-foot, 14,000-pound apex predator doesn't roar. It sprays a rainbow-ridden waterspout. Try to look away as an orca's 6-foot, black dorsal fin bursts through the surface and entraps your gaze as you peer over the emerald waters of the Salish Sea. The orca audibly takes in another breath, filling its lungs once more before the black fin slips down to the depths and away from sight. Soon, more rise to the surface in a display of geysers, and...
