Was watching an interview with Mark Sinker (no pun intended). Several dozen Canadian students were on a tall ship that sank and they were stranded on the high seas for 40 hours before being rescued. Scary stuff! Didn't Laura Gainey (daughter of Bob) get swept off a tall ship 1-2 years ago and her body was never recovered?
Tall Ship Sinks
- Thread starter SkyRider
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The parents are all pissy because the Brazilians did not launch a search and rescue until 19 hours after receiving the distress call, due to being unsure what the nature of the distress was.
My answer to that is when you send your kids into rough weather in a wooden boat on the ocean then be grateful they weren't out there in life rafts for 40 days, never mind 40 hours.
My answer to that is when you send your kids into rough weather in a wooden boat on the ocean then be grateful they weren't out there in life rafts for 40 days, never mind 40 hours.
Aren't these parents aware of the danger of the oceans? Did they not sign waivers before their kids were allowed on the ship? Even huge cruise ships are not immune to danger.
On-going program, not just a trip
This was not just a 'school trip' - they were on a 10 month voyage. The program is based on the ship so yes, the parents were well aware that there could be an accident at some time. They have been operating since 1984 and have had one death previously (in 1996 or so).
I have discussed something like this with my eldest, but he is not as into sailing as the rest of us in the family, so would not work for him.
This was not just a 'school trip' - they were on a 10 month voyage. The program is based on the ship so yes, the parents were well aware that there could be an accident at some time. They have been operating since 1984 and have had one death previously (in 1996 or so).
I have discussed something like this with my eldest, but he is not as into sailing as the rest of us in the family, so would not work for him.
All sorts of national and private organizations from Dartmouth to Denmark run tall ships as youth training; it's hardly a new concept.
What is new is the TV-fostered idea, that a couple of liferafts no bigger than king-sized beds can be instantly found at night in the stormy Atlantic, and their occupants promptly winched aboard helicopters that will immediately appear on the site. The Brazillian S&R Captain interviewed at length on CBC certainly gave a good account of how such things really get done. Such illusions should be left to people who need GPS's to navigate to the Mall, and couldn't tell you the difference between latitude and longitude.
The kids went to sea to learn to be wiser than that, and drilled to know exactly what to do, which is why they got into the rafts w/o confusion or any loss of life. Sounds like the right sorta education to me.
What is new is the TV-fostered idea, that a couple of liferafts no bigger than king-sized beds can be instantly found at night in the stormy Atlantic, and their occupants promptly winched aboard helicopters that will immediately appear on the site. The Brazillian S&R Captain interviewed at length on CBC certainly gave a good account of how such things really get done. Such illusions should be left to people who need GPS's to navigate to the Mall, and couldn't tell you the difference between latitude and longitude.
The kids went to sea to learn to be wiser than that, and drilled to know exactly what to do, which is why they got into the rafts w/o confusion or any loss of life. Sounds like the right sorta education to me.
You guys are being way too pissy. The kids are safe and what is more they have had an adventure that they can tell for the rest of their lives! Life is an adventure and sure it is sometimes scary but the policies that the ships captian had in place made sure all the kids were safe. Life isn't about being safe, it is about living and risk managment. You can't baby your kid and expect them to grow up to have character and leaders without challenges. Helecoptor parenting just stymies kid's growth.
I would totally have sent my kid.
If I had one.
I would totally have sent my kid.
If I had one.
Maybe you are right. Kids die all the time swimming, skiing, mountain climbing, driving cars, etc.
This reminds me a bit of that 14 year old Dutch girl who wanted to sail the 7 seas solo.
Thank God there were no fatalities.
Reminds me of a story a few years ago about an "adventure" cruise to Antarctica that hit an iceberg and sank. If I recollect they were all rescued safely but that would be shit in my pants scarey. Getting into a life raft in the Antarctic ocean.
Reminds me of a story a few years ago about an "adventure" cruise to Antarctica that hit an iceberg and sank. If I recollect they were all rescued safely but that would be shit in my pants scarey. Getting into a life raft in the Antarctic ocean.
I think the parents of each kid should send a cheque for $10,000 to Brazil for saving their kid's skin. Imagine if this had happened in the Gulf of Aden?
I know someone who attended the school and sailed around the world on this ship
Said it was unbelievable experience & would recommend it to anyone
This person will be devastated by the news as it will shut the program down.
No ship- No School
Said it was unbelievable experience & would recommend it to anyone
This person will be devastated by the news as it will shut the program down.
No ship- No School
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