Some Things To Check..Before Heading Out To Sea

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We have heard of many people who live inland suddenly decide to hire a boat and head out to sea, for a joy ride or a quick fishing trip. Many times they have to be rescued by the National Sea Rescue because they did not take the necessary precautions and found themselves out in the blue yonder without fuel or have overturned. My Dad was a great seaman and knew how to read the sea and the conditions of the ever changing weather conditions. Those days he had a barometer that he used to help track what the weather was about to do. Sometimes the sea would be like a mill pond in the early morning but by eleven the wind had changed and you encountered a westerly buster that whipped up the waves to the extent that being out at sea would have been considered, dangerous. Boats need a special license and safety equipment before they are allowed out to sea. Life jackets, flares and correct anchors are all part of being a qualified seaman. If your boat goes out of the harbor it must be logged by the port authorities so that if the vessel does not come back a search and rescue boat can be sent out to conduct a search for the vessel in question. Lastly the Skipper must have a certificate of competency to operate the boat effectively in the sea.