Every year dozens of mariners pay the ultimate sacrifice when taking on unexpected extreme marine weather. The risk every mariner takes for his love of the sea is ever present, and history has shown that sometimes, no amount of preparation or precaution could circumvent the attack of an extreme marine weather event. While we cannot control Mother Nature’s sometimes sudden changes in mood, we can certainly take measures to prepare and plan for safety. Knowing well, and consistently practicing, safety procedures for navigating extreme marine weather can often mean the difference between survival and ultimate disaster.
The tragedy of the four friends aboard the 40-foot ketch Charley Crab was likely the result of insufficient weather information prior to setting out. A very strong spring cold front, powered by a rare low pressure system generated a wall of wind so severe that it earned the nickname “Storm of the Century”; a ferocious nightmare of a storm system for landlubbers and mariners alike.
The “Storm of the Century” was responsible for 310 deaths in Cuba and the United States with dozens of tornadoes throughout its eastward march across the country. In the northeast, it generated a record blizzard including 54 inches of snowfall in Snowshoe, WV. During its March 11-15, 1993 run, the storm reached as far south as Central America, and as far north as Canada. When the “Storm of the Century” finally subsided, it reportedly caused $6.5 Billion in damages.
Critical: Plan and Prepare for Safety
Boaters and anglers need to keep in mind that danger can always be just a split-second away. Boating educators emphasize that chances of surviving an unexpected or severe boating accident caused by exposure to extreme marine weather, will depend largely upon the preparations made well before casting off the dock lines.
“There’s an awareness that’s required when a boater decides to venture beyond the sight of land,” explained Tom Danti, Dean of Instruction at Chapman School of Seamanship in Florida. “The open water is a vast environment that can change very quickly and unexpectedly.”
Danti advises that all boaters ask, days before any outing, “If I go out X number of miles, what can happen to me?”
Communication, boat systems, safety equipment and knowledge are all elements essential to one’s safe return. Danti said when a boater is only 10-15 miles offshore, he may be the only vessel out there for miles. Reliable communications are a lifeline to rescue. “The ocean is nothing like an interstate, where if you break down, a passing motorist can stop to help or make a call for you,” Danti said.
Thorough training is invaluable. In addition to basic boat-handling techniques and navigation, boaters should consider life-saving courses and systems training in order to be optimally prepared for the unthinkable.
Be Prepared for Extreme Marine Weather
- Weather Forecasts- Reliable long-range forecasts are available on every type of electronic device imaginable. Get plugged in and pay attention to rapid changes.
- Float Plan- Alert everyone from loved ones to marina managers to emergency personnel when making the trip from point a, to point b.
- Ditch Bag- Perhaps it seems a bit extreme, but even boaters planning a short excursion ? like a 3-hour tour ? should have a dry bag on board with everything from batteries for signaling equipment to canned snacks and matches. Fresh water is a must if stranded at sea; escaping the storm is one thing, but dehydration presents and equally deadly threat. Remember, no one who has been rescued, ever expected to find themselves in such a desperate situation.
- First-aid kit? Always a smart play on every boat for any number of reasons… and don’t forget the sting kill for jellyfish!
- EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons)- Made for boats and individuals. When activated, an EPIRB sends out a signal for rescuers to hone in on and quickly locate victims in distress. Additionally, personal locator beacons like the Spot send location information to a GPS satellite, which allow boater to be tracked online, at all times.
- Life raft- Bulky item for a small boat, but making room for it is easy when you consider could happen to you without out it, should the need for it arise.
- Survival suit – It’s not just for the guys on Deadliest Catch. Even “warm water” areas can change temperature unexpectedly, and hypothermia is a greater risk than drowning when water temperatures are in the 60s.
Complete safety precautions are not just a good rule of thumb, but a responsibility to best ensure the well-being of yourself, your vessel, and your precious cargo of friends and family. Always stop by a marina with a ship’s store to stock up on supplies before heading out on short, or long, excursions. Safe travels!
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