On the evening of October 10th, 2014 the Research Vessel OR5 out in the Taiwan Strait encountered a typhoon (Vong Fong) and was unable to avoid the storm. The ship went aground and turned over. Sadly there was loss of life.
I spent a bit of time today out and about checking the safety equipment on board the vessel.
I have neglected a huge component of life at sea, and that is safety. One can take nothing for granted. On a cruise like ours, far from any form of assistance, if anything were to go wrong, help would be days away -- we need to always be prepared.
From life rafts to life rings to life boats. The NB Palmer appears to have an excellent compliment of survival equipment.
Safety equipment on the Palmer is divided into two categories: the equipment needed if we have to abandon ship, and the equipment needed to keep people safe as they work on board.
Once a month the vessel conducts each: two abandoned ship drills, two fire drills, and one man overboard drill. All staff and science personnel are expected to attend, and everyone has a specific location to go, and their presence is documented. Everyone is accounted for. The crew's portion of the drill is to react as if it was a real emergency and put on all their fire gear, or prepare life boats for disembarkation. Drills are a serious concern.
Every person on board has their own survival suit. It is vital to put on the suit if we have to abandon ship.
Besides the abandon ship drills, fire is of great concern on any ocean going vessel. There are over 30 fire prevention stations throughout the vessel, complete with axe, even 107 fire extinguishers, and everything you could imagine to quickly put out a fire. There are also CO2 and dry chemical extinguishers in the computer spaces for electrical fires.
There is nowhere you can go on the vessel and not see signs and evidence of safety equipment.
Safety on an oceanic vessel is also about job safety. Two of the crew are EMTs and wilderness first responders, but there is no doctor. When working with equipment over the side of the vessel, lines, even the small boats, it is important to have the proper equipment. The water barely above freezing is a threat, even footing on stairwells as the ship pitches can be dangerous.
Safety first, ALWAYS!
I was impressed with how frequently gear is checked, weekly, bi-weekly, and monthly. It is the responsibility of the 2nd and 3rd mate to make sure all safety equipment is in great working order. I posted a few weeks ago the challenge of identifying the EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Position). The EPIRB is a registered emergency signal that will send out a radio position. We also have two search and rescue transponders on board, which also send out emergency signals. The hope is to never have to use these devices, but ever so important to have them on board.
Emergency Position Indicating Radio Position, designed to give a signal should the ship go down.
Just remember: Safety on a cruise should never be taken for "granite!"
Thanks to Cian from Bird Island, we have this simply marvelous leopard seal picture. Do not let the grin fool you. This species is a very effective predator.
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