Life and Death and Abby’s EPIRBs
There is simply no way to imagine that the Sunderland’s decision to allow their sixteen-year-old daughter (and seventeen-year-old son before her) to venture out to sea alone was not influenced by the modern EPIRB. She was carrying two of them aboard. “Radio’s – check; SATCOM – check; Way to pinpoint your location and call for help if things go wrong? – check and check.” The electronic “Time-Out” button provides a LOT of comfort to all of us who go to sea and I’m certainly not complaining; again, I love the things. However, mariners need to address the growing and unspoken trend to rely on these devices as a replacement for an abundance of caution and judgment.