Boarding a ship with high freeboard – unconventional http:// www. youtube. com / watch? v = 4LRT0hG9jj4
the surface. This ensures that the face stays above the surface, maintaining eye contact with the casualty or overseeing the situation. This is a jump we often perform when training with the Coast Guard( IKWV) during the summer months. When exiting bigger ships, we frequently jump from a higher altitude.
If we used the lifeguard jump there, we could easily get injured as the impact on the surface would be greater. Therefore, we developed an existing technique from combat or rescue divers from the military or Coast Guard. It is also commonly used when jumping from higher cliffs or rocks during coasteering activities. We will bring our legs together, stretched and preferably crossed( one foot over the other), and we will keep one hand over our nose( closing the nose avoids water insertion) whilst our PFD is tucked underneath the same arm. With the other hand, we keep hold of our helmets. This way, everything stays in place on impact, avoiding injuries.
Before jumping( no matter the height), we will always ensure that there are no obstructions below the surface and that we have enough depth. When in doubt, there is no doubt: don’ t jump! We ended with the highest jump from the pipe connection on top of the ship’ s bow. According to the captain, it is about seven metres.
We truly hope that we will never need any of these techniques. But if we do, we are prepared to contain a distress situation to the best of our ability. In case the Coast Guard isn’ t the first to arrive, we know how professional shipping will help us. We will know how to board big ships, and we will have created options for our own safety.
We have climbed( sometimes literally) the safety ladder and specialised ourselves in this matter. We can not be grateful enough to the people who believe in us, the crews and captains of those ships, and who want to train consistently on every occasion with us. Ruben, Stefan, Ward, and your enthusiastic, super and over-the-top motivated crews! Thank you!
FLYTE
Photo: Johan Deramoudt
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