Safety Training
Preparing for a ships emergency
Me trying on my gumby or immersion suit.
On the deck with the MT's.
We are now underway and heading out of Beautiful Hobart Harbor to East Antarctica! (1300 hrs.1/29/2014) After a few last minute details on shore like mailing a birthday card to my son (Happy Birthday Riley!) and purchasing some basic provisions it was time for the safety training. Imagine your fire drills at school. Now add workplace safety, person overboard, life preservers, life rafts and gumby suits.
Leanne Armand , Sean Gulick and myself inside the life raft at 100f!
The life raft ready for use.
Chief Mate Brandon Bell and The Ships Master (AKA Captain) Sebastian Paoni carefully walked us through a long list of "do's and don'ts" when underway. Safety of all is primary to the mission. After we tried on our life preservers and gumby suits it was time to review the other emergency procedures and signals. These included simple things like holding onto a railing while on the stairs and making sure all doors and hatches a secured. In possible 100 ft. waves these are good words of wisdom. Just like school kids we will have regular drills to keep us ready.
A reminder for us.
Our cruise is particularly unique. Captain Paoni explains that ships normally travel in shipping lanes. The routes are traveled regularly by other ships. That makes survivability in a life raft much more likely. Our cruise is heading essentially to uncharted waters. That means no other ships will be in our vicinity. Then theirs icebergs and angry penguins! As we leave port I am extremely excited but a little apprehensive. No worries I've got some great sailing buddies to help me out!