While it can be fun to spend some time out at sea, whether that’s being on the job or simply for recreational purposes, it’s important that you know the best ways to keep yourself safe when on the water. If you become injured, it can be much harder to get the help that you need when you’re out on the ocean as opposed to when you’re back on land and close to emergency medical professionals. So to help ensure that you and everyone you’re with is able to keep themselves out of harm’s way, here are three tips for staying safe while out at sea.
Make Safety Your Top Priority
If you’re wanting to make it back to shore without any harm done to you, it’s vital that you make safety your top priority when out at sea. As part of this, Tom Lochhaas, a contributor to ThoughtCo.com, shares that you should always have enough personal floatation devices for each person you’re out at sea with. Additionally, you should keep your vessel equipped with things like tethers, extra food, and a few different modes of communication. With these things in place, you should be safe during the best of times and prepared in case you get into some scary times.
Be Careful With Alcohol Consumption
Many people who spend a lot of time out on the sea for recreation find themselves indulging in alcohol. And while this can be a safe activity to participate in, it can also lead to some poor decision making that could put you and others in danger. Because of this, Discover Boating recommends that you be very careful with consuming alcohol when aboard a vessel. Wind and the sun have actually been found to make the effects of alcohol more pronounced. So especially if you’ll be the one driving or if you have certain responsibilities you need to be keeping up with, it’s best to just drink once you’re back on land.
Respect The Weather
Having respect for Mother Nature is going to help you stay safe and not take any unnecessary risks when out at sea. According to Visit Norway, you should always check on weather conditions before you head out on a big body of water. Things can change quickly when at sea, so it’s important that you always keep an eye on conditions and get yourself back to land if things start to look dicey. By taking these precautions, you can avoid getting caught unaware during a bad storm that could wreck your vessel.
To keep yourself from getting injured when aboard something out at sea, consider using the tips mentioned above to increase your awareness and improve your safety precautions.