Harden Up

Some passengers have second thoughts after going down to the sea on an unstable platform. A poorly secured and poorly maintained platform by all counts.

... officers and crew members onboard, many with 20-30 years' experience at sea, had never experienced rolling of the magnitude that occurred during the trip. It was "unpredictable and rare wave behaviour".

Obviously never been to sea on the Grey Funnel Line. I seem to remember a long time ago being in almost the same area with about 75 knots across the deck stopped dead in the water beam on, doing 60 degree rolls during a SAR operation. Having a smoke on the upperdeck, watching the deckapes launch a Zodiac.

Falling off 10 metre waves in Cook Strait at night or transiting Bass Strait as rescue destroyer up the arse of an aircraft carrier on a wild night is more like not for the faint hearted. The Sourthern Ocean is yet another kettle of fish.

Harden up! You paid good money for such excitement.

Reminds me about a wise yachtie I once knew. His mantra when purchasing a yacht was to imagine it upside down falling into the trough of a wave. Sir Francis Chicester did that a few times and lived to tell the tale. Never ever a problem with me securing for sea.