Sea History 123 - Summer 2008

Page 11

Green Bay, Wisconsin, the summer before when the two ships shared crewmembers. Your position as editor probably brought a lot of wrath from certain quarters down upon you for printing Rigel Crockett's editorial. I, for one, am glad you did, because no one can ignore safety issues, nor be unwilling to maintain an open dialogue on this grave topic. Yes, people have been washed overboard and fallen from aloft since ships first put to sea. That's a part of the traditional seafarer's experience I'd like no part of I have a 19th-century ancestor who fell from the rigging and rook a couple of days to die. They were short-handed and he, one of the mates, was aloft even though he was ill. Thar's the way history tells us it has always been, bur it doesn't need to be that way today. On public vessels, such as the Niagara, safety is always a major concern. On private vessels, such as the Alabama and the Picton Castle, they have more freedom and can take their chances, but eventually a law suit might come their way, especially in today's litigio us atmosphere. People who don't want to wear safety harnesses can choose not to wear them on certain vessels. That's a decision they can make. On ships that require the use of safety harnesses, the crew has no choice, and, to the best of my knowledge, they haven't lost anyone who was hooked in. 1hat's the bottom line. Safety harness or nor, I certainly hope that people continue to avail themselves of any chance to go to sea on a lofty ship, just as I ferven tly hope they all come home again.

DR.

LAWRENCE BABITS

Greenville, North Carolina When I saw in my recent copy of Sea History that there was an op-ed piece abo ut safety at sea, I looked forward to a rewarding read about a subject central to the minds and souls of all mariners. After all, the author had circumnavigated the wo rld in a square-rigged ship and ought to have some comm ents worth reading. Sadly, my eagerness was misplaced. Crockett's piece offered no new insights or ideas to add to the oft-discussed issues of the foundations of safety, so fam iliar to all who hold positions of responsibility in vessel operations. Instead, he consumed valuable (to me) Sea History ink with shallow equivocations and pseudo-analysis that add nothing to the discussion. Mr. Crockett, against all logic and fair-

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Sea History 123 - Summer 2008 by National Maritime Historical Society & Sea History Magazine - Issuu