Be Prepared!

It is easy to write about being prepared and having back-ups in place. But until you find yourself in a position of needing a back-up, you really can't appreciate the words. This weekend we left our dock for a twilight trip to a local restaurant. After dinner and catching up with friends, we departed for home. As I have written before, electronics are man made and can fail. Almost immediately, my GPS stopped working. I thought, "Not a problem, I have my spotlight and I am very familiar with the channel." Then my spotlight failed. Usually when that fails, you still have the moonlight or lights on shore to follow. No such luck! No moon and only the treeline to follow. So I did the only thing left to do. I slowed down and slowly cruised home. I know what you are thinking. I should have been more prepared. You're right! However, in my defense, I was in a boat that I use mostly in the day time. Even though it is equipped with required safety equipment, I did not have back-up on board. ALWAYS have back-up systems in place, however, if you find yourself unprepared, DON'T PANIC!! Slow down and have your crew help guide you to safety. If you aren't sure you can safely navigate to your destination, stop and call for help.