I did my Safety at Sea course this last weekend and I was struck by how compressed the time was for the course- only 2 days or 8 hrs to learn a HUGE amount of info.

I was reminded once agin how unsexy the subject of survival at sea can be and how easily it can get abbreviated to fit better into busy sailor schedules.  

So, to help clarify my thoughts for my own revision (after all, none of us has sailed properly in nearly two years !) and to give you the crew the benefits of any insights I have come to over the years I am going to go through the RYA ’Sea Survival Handbook ’ (ISBN 978-1-906435-96-7) at exactly the pace that best reveals what to do, how to be prepared and what equipment you have available in a crisis at sea. So... really, really slowly.  

No apologies, no excuses- I’m going to take it one page at a time and believe me- you are going to appreciate this when the waters are rising and the last light winks out!

#68 |The Mariner | Safety At Sea | Part 1 | Before You Depart

Light hearted & filled with personal anecdotes and amusing tangents, the Mariner Podcast shares the wealth of knowledge & experience accumulated by a sailor who has covered more miles on the world‘s oceans, than the distance from the Earth to the Moon. 

Each episode, solo circumnavigator Chris Stanmore-Major, talks about all things sailing from how to flake a line and prepare a meal on a family cruising voyage to how to race through the Southern Ocean on an Open 60.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Sometimes we get the opportunity to sit at the hand of the master and hear first hand what is the best way to do something.

This is one of those moments. 

This episode I read the Appendix of Capt. Voss’ book ’Venturesome Voyages’ and if that leaves you feeling a little less than interested, don’t worry, it’s just because you don’t’ know who Capt. Voss is.

I’ve got you covered on that too.

#115 | Safety At Sea | Advanced Seamanship Notes | Capt. Voss | Part 1

Questions and Tangents #14 and this episode we continue down the rabbit hole regarding buying a used race boat.

Recap

Last time we discussed this I said, ’Don’t do it - unless you REALLY want/ need to do it.’

But as you did it anyway... (which I knew you would...)

This time I’m saying- ’Since you can’t take simple advice-;) here’s 2 further hours of things to bear in mind.’

I guess #3 (Owing a Race Boat Long Term) is coming soon...

#114 | Questions & Tangents | So, You Bought an Old Race Boat Anyway.

So, after all your best efforts to prevent a Man Overboard Situation now your crew are in the water, and they are relying solely on you to not only come and find them; but also to do it in heavy seas, high winds and at night. 

Shit.

Let’s explore the options when all hope appears lost, when only brute strength and the spark of ingenuity may be all you have to get the job done.

#113 | Safety at Sea | Easy MOB Recovery & Other Fantastic Myths

We’ve all done it, taken a quick nip onto the foredeck just do ’ that thing’ and suddenly we find ourselves realizing one wrong move and we are toast. 

This episode looks to try to reconcile that kind of risk-taking to the garbage can and promote instead a deep instinctual suspicion that the sea does not actually care about you, is in no way impressed or ’wow’d’ by your skill set and will take every opportunity you give it, to wipe you off the deck of you boat if it can and off the face of the earth, if you are not able to regain the safety of the vessel quickly. 


Join me for a sobering, but not necessarily melancholy look at preventing a Man overboard situation.

#112 | Safety at Sea | How to AVOID MOB Situations

Today is the day of the solar eclipse across North America, the only one that will touch the continent until 2024 (when only three states will experience totality) therefore: Happy Solar Eclipse Day!

I thought I would put a few thoughts down relating to the historical and scientific history of solar eclipses to give you Dad’s EVEN more to amaze and thrill your kids with.... as you always do.....

Once I push the button on this I am off outside to watch the partial eclipse we will experience here in Nova Scotia with three generations of my family- a first for me and something I am very much looking forward to!

#68 |The Mariner | Safety At Sea | Part 1 | Before You Depart

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