The Editor Speaks: Tragedy, anger and tears
When a tragedy occurs that involves death there are many tears shed. When it involves children the tragedy is tenfold. When it MIGHT have been avoided there is often anger and finger pointing. The blame game begins.
I am referring to the terrible news here of the missing boat that went out on a fishing trip last Sunday with three adults and two children on board and did not return. Then we learnt the following day the boat had been found upside down and no sign of anyone in the water.
The grief of the families and friends of these loved ones must be terrible and unimaginable for those lucky ones of us who thankfully have never had to go through such an experience.
When I watched the 6pm local news on CITN/Cayman27 last night (Mon) and saw and heard the anguish from members of the family I unashamedly cried too.
One of the family members was angry and blamed the police for not doing more. This sentiment is shared by many. Others blame the captain of the boat.
I do not know the full facts therefore I cannot comment.
I do know the conditions at sea can change in a heartbeat and one must be prepared for any situation.
If any good can come from this misery is for the authorities to take a close look at the safety laws and recommendations and above all the policing of same.
It would seem from a cursory look there is a great need for tightening up boat safety.
I do know there was a weather alert in affect from the Sunday evening advising seas would become rough. It was on our website.
Mandatory life jackets to be worn at all times by persons on a small boat must be introduced.
There are many websites that list the basic requirements for recreational boating. I publish these from the Maritime Government New Zealand one:
Plan and prepare before you go out
Skipper responsibilities
Boat types and water activities
Planning and preparation before going out
Maintain your boat
Crossing the bar
Taking your yacht overseas
Rules and legislation
Communications equipment
Lifejackets
Navigation and trip planning
Ship registration
Accidents and reporting
Marine weather forecasts
Safe boating education
Environmental protection
Regional safety information
Publications for rec boaties
Rec boating team
Safe boating advisors
Useful sites
Lifejackets for life.
ONLINE SERVICES
Report an accident or incident
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Request a print publication
Planning and preparation is needed before you take to the water, and may well save your life – or at least save the cost of a tow from the Coastguard. If things do go wrong, search and rescue does take time and you are on your own until help arrives.
Before you go out, follow these simple checks:
Check the weather and sea conditions
You should check the weather and sea conditions before deciding whether to go out. MetService provides an online coastal weather forecast for areas around New Zealand.
NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) has wave buoys around the coast. You can view wave information and sea conditions in the area you plan to go boating.
For more general info on weather:
Check the weather [MNZ’s Boatsafetyinnz YouTube channel]
Knowing the tides [MNZ’s Boatsafetyinnz YouTube channel]
What’s the outlook
Maintain your boat
Whether you are buying a boat, taking it out again with the arrival of summer, or using it often, regular maintenance and equipment checks are the only way to ensure trouble-free boating. If you do not, it will catch up with you, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not next month, but it will almost certainly happen.
Check your battery
Today’s boats need less care and attention than older boats, but just ask Coastguard how many of their calls are for a tow home! Nearly all could have been avoided by better preparation. Even the shortest tow will cost at least $200 – money better spent on a new battery or an engine service.
Just because the motor started at home and at the ramp, it does not mean it will do so at the end of a day’s fishing – when the radio, depth finder and perhaps a light have been using up battery power. A regular check will ensure you don’t get caught out.
Check for corrosion – use waterproof grease
Salt water and moisture are invasive, and adversely affect any metal touched. Anti-corrosion sprays work well, but a “spanner check” on all controls and mechanical and electrical connections will uncover many problems. Liberal use of waterproof grease will keep items working and free from corrosion.
Discard old fuel
With high petrol prices, there is an understandable reluctance to discard any fuel remaining from last year. Storing it over the winter months, especially if it’s two-stroke mix, will take it way beyond its use-by date.
A combination of tired battery, old fuel and a little corrosion could mean you’ll have to call Coastguard – but only if your radio works.
Have a pre-trip checklist
Without a checklist to help with preparation, the best of us are sure to overlook a detail or two – possibly something critical. Your checklist’s details should be specific to your type of boat, but all checklists have common elements.
Know and check your equipment
Those who get themselves into difficulty on the water often have not made an effort to know much about their boat at all, especially a boat that’s been recently purchased. You also need to know how your equipment works and check it regularly. Make sure you don’t overlook less obvious items, like the cylinders on inflatable lifejackets.
All boats need maintenance [MNZ’s Boatsafetyinnz YouTube channel]
Checking the boat
Refuelling your boat
Safety equipment on board
Maintaining inflatable lifejackets
Be aware of the key factors in fatal accidents
The accident investigation and analysis carried out by Maritime New Zealand has highlighted the four key factors leading to fatal accidents in boats:
not wearing lifejackets in risky situations
inability to communicate following an accident, such as a capsize
not taking note of the weather conditions or forecast
overuse of alcohol.
Only the foolhardy think “it won’t happen to me”. No matter how well prepared, how knowledgeable or how capable, anyone can find themselves in a life-threatening situation on the water.
Your chances of survival will come down to how well prepared you are. Remember search and rescue takes time, and you are on your own until help arrives.
Cold is one of the greatest threats to the lives of everyone on the water. When immersed in cold water, certain techniques can improve your chances of surviving long enough to be rescued. Read Survive in cold water.
Be mentally prepared
Checking the boat and its equipment is one crucial element, the other is mental preparation. Stop to think for a minute or two about safety, and how you will cope in each type of possible emergency, and share these thoughts with the crew every time you go out – it’s an important part of being prepared.
If all this seems like too much trouble, especially after boating for many years with no problems, give a moment’s thought to those who don’t make it home after a boating trip. Many of those who get into difficulty are well prepared, knowledgeable, experienced boaties who get caught out by the elements, or experience equipment failure.
Be prepared and take a few extra precautions, no matter what. Remember: fail to plan – plan to fail.
The tears and the grief will last for a very long time. The anger will not last as long but will always be present.
None of us must judge. We were not there.
Can we prevent another such tragedy? Not 100%. But we can reduce the odds.
