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Date: 15 December 2014. Night Crossing.
Guest author Kevin on M/V Lisas Way.
 

This piece is for The Writer's Block. It's written by Kevin who cruises Alaska. It was posted live during a night crossing of the Gulf of Alaska. This is why we get to know our equipment...
 


Gulf of Alaska circled. This map is from my 1943 Rand McNally atlas.
 

Kevin wrote:
I have to admit, its been a long time since I operated a boat at night. Imagine this...You're in a sea that is safe but moves the boat around quite a bit. OK you can imagine that. Now take away all of your visual references. You cannot see. You do not know when a wave is going to hit. But you learn. You get a feel for the rhythm. You begin to anticipate the next set.
 

This is a time when you live by your radar and your chart plotter, because this is is really all you have between you and danger. Unimaginable danger. The primal fear danger of not surviving. Right now this is my world. This is night shift on the MV Lisas Way.
 

Right now at this particular moment I am very happy that my Furuno Manual looks old and tattered. Why...Because I've read it. Not once, but many times, over a period of years. I know that equipment. I know that when the radar shows something it really exists. I know that when it shows nothing that's because nothing is out there. Because when your equipment is all that separates you from the darkest of times, having confidence in that equipment is all that keeps you sane.
 

Right now I'm in the middle of my 4 hour watch. Jamison is asleep in his bunk, and I am at the helm. I can see the tip of Kyak Island that we just passed. I can see a couple of shower cells on the radar. Other than that all is quiet on the MV Lisas Way.
 

This is why we get to know our equipment...

The End.

© Kevin onboard Lisas Way. His website is: http://mvlisasway.com
 

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Categories:  Boats, Characters, Gear, Locations, The Writer's Block

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