Things Happen Fast

Recently, a friend, was returning from the mooring with three friends in a small dinghy. As they pulled up to the dock, one friend hopped out and tried to hold the boat close to the dock. There was a strong tidal current running at the time, and just as the second person went to climb out, the boat started to move away from the dock. Seeing that the disembarking passenger wasn’t going to make it, another passenger reached out to hold her back, grossly misjudging the power of momentum. Seconds later, they both  hit the water, capsizing the dinghy and throwing the third passenger into the water, underneath the boat. As the “rescuer” struggled to pull the pair to safety, their combined wieght caused him to suffer a dislocated shoulder before they were safely on dry land.  Luckily, the person underneath the dinghy was able to dive out and swim to safety. Lessons learned: the captain should give clear instructions as to who disembarks, how, and when; passengers should consider everyone’s safety before taking action; and everyone should wear a life jacket, regardless of how short the trip is going to be.