Safety First
Why is this important in our Cruising Life? First, and foremost we live on a boat. You may ask what could go wrong? Well, if you have all day, I can provide you a list. Here’s the thing no matter what this lifestyle and sport is inherently dangerous. Once you leave the lakes, and coastlines the world changes. Mother Nature and Poseiden can join together and become a very ugly team, of terror, “E-Ticket adventure ride, and magnificent beauty. . 90% of the time its really great, and that 10% can be dangerous, intimidating and scary. So, if you are out here, it is not a game to be taken lightly, it is not an objective to get there first, our number one responsibility is to return to home port, or arrive safely to our next destination. If you have a schedule, you might as well throw it out the window. You have to learn to adapt, we are not in charge of this environment. The wind, the water, the beautiful sunshine is harsh to our equipment, conditions change in an instant, and things break, usually at the worst time. And you ask, why do you love it? Sometimes, there just are not the words to explain the immense fulfillment, and beauty.
If you can do the basics, get educated so you have an understanding of your environment, which there are multiple environments and how your boat performs, and how you and your crew will perform, it can make difficult situations far easier. Education, skills, and competency are essential out here. Your luck will run out!
What can you do:
Get educated - it is holistic in understanding all aspects of boating
Theory - overall understanding of all aspects of the marine world, sport, lifestyle, adventure. The vessel, systems within your vessel, electrical, water, heating and air, cooking/galley, plumbing, independent equipment (EPIRB, VHF, generator), Conditions e.g. weather, sea state and currents (these can change in minutes, no kidding), first aid, rules of the road and regulations of the seas. IF you are sailing, additional complexity due to the rigging, and sails. Last but not least, understanding what to do in case of emergency. If there are two of you on the boat, what happens if someone falls overboard, breaks a leg, or has a heart attack? 911 is not down the block.
Practical is executing the skills of boating and sailing, boating handling, manuevering, reading charts, understanding and managing through the weather, changing sails in all conditions.
In a nutshell, you learn self-reliance. Remember you are human, not invincible and humans are imperfect.
My favorite quote from Captain Ron - “if it can happen, it will happen out there”