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If you fall overboard whats the best thing to do?

rade2rising

By rade2rising,
in First Time Cruisers

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Colorado Kat

Colorado Kat

Posted
Posted
I did read a great novel "Skinny Dip" about a guy who threw his wife overboard from a cruise ship. She lived and managed to swim to an island and get even with him. The author was Carl Hiaasen.

 

I think it would be pretty difficult to toss someone over the rails, but I'm sure that there have been real cases of it.

 

I think I need to read this book.....But in truth, I don't think people who "fall" off cruise ships usually survive.

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Arwenmark

Arwenmark

Posted
Posted
I think I need to read this book.....But in truth, I don't think people who "fall" off cruise ships usually survive.

 

Actually several of them have survived. You would greatly improve your chances if you did what I said, although having the presence of mind to do so in the couple of seconds the fall would take you would be pretty hard.

 

I used to be, LONG ago a High HIGH diver, also my grandfather was in the life saving service for over 30 years. So I am familiar with entering the water from a good height.

 

Also remember the rules they tell you for abandoning ship, assuming you are not climbing into a nice little boat?

 

hey tell you to cross your arms over your chest and step off. The object as I posted earlier is to remain upright and enter the water feet first with as small a "footprint" as possible, that gives you the least chance or breaking anything, and the least physical shock from hitting the water.

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lady_cruiser

lady_cruiser

Posted
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There are several reasons that a person would fall overboard:

  1. He/she would be sitting on a balcony railing and when the ship shifts with waves they lose their balance and fall overboard.
  2. They are acting silly or are drunk and have climbed on a chair or table that is too close to the railing (i.e. to dance) and again lose their balance and fall overboard.
  3. They do want to end their life and this is the way they have chosen to do so.
  4. They are probably young, think they are invincible and try from one cabin to another by using the balcony instead of the hallway.

How did I come up with these, at one time or another I have read in the news section here at CC that these things have actually happened.

 

As others have said before me, you just don't fall overboard.

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Sheffie

Sheffie

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There are several reasons that a person would fall overboard:

He/she would be sitting on a balcony railing and when the ship shifts with waves they lose their balance and fall overboard.

 

I stood near a lady doing this on one of our cruises. :eek: (Sitting on the rail.) She was with her boyfriend. I guess they thought this was romantic? I had my eye on the closest life preserver. I was going to throw it over if she fell off. I was ready to say something when she finally got down. Some people just don't think!!!!

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Arwenmark

Arwenmark

Posted
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Ok, assuming that you survive the "fall/drop/jump" into the water.....Aren't you in danger of getting sucked into the engine's wash? Do you need to immediately kick out and try to get as far away as possible?

 

It would certainly depend on where you fell from but if you do what I described above when you enter the water you would be taken in a fairly shallow arch out away from the ship to the surface, unless you went into the water FACING the ship.

 

also if you note the action along the sides of the ship as it moves it tends to push things away from it rather then toward and under it.

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G'ma

G'ma

Posted
Posted

Nobody "falls overboard" on a ship.

 

They are either pushed, tossed or have done something really, really stupid like sit on a railing, climb something they're not supposed to or some other foolish act.

 

Most incidents are alcohol related.

 

If you find yourself in the water, your best bet is to pray to whatever diety you may acknowledge....and you better know how to float.

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pms4104

pms4104

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If you fall overboard and are fortunate enough to be rescued in a timely manner ... you'll likely live to tell the tale and sail another day.

 

If that is not the case ... I think it's called a burial at sea.:rolleyes:

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airlink diva

airlink diva

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I'm sailing with a first timer cruiser in April. We have a balcony for this cruise. One of the first things that she expressed when telling her about the balcony was the possibility of her falling off the ship.

I assured her that unless you just want to end your life or someone push you over, it's almost impossible for you fall off the side of a ship.

But I will blame the news media for stirring up fear in some people. When report about people falling off of ships, they make it seem like happens all of the time. I've had people at work that also ask me about how I keep myself from falling off a ship.

While the question may seem odd or outrageous to a season cruiser, to a newbie who never sailed, this can be a concern.

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Arwenmark

Arwenmark

Posted
Posted
I'm sailing with a first timer cruiser in April. We have a balcony for this cruise. One of the first things that she expressed when telling her about the balcony was the possibility of her falling off the ship.

I assured her that unless you just want to end your life or someone push you over, it's almost impossible for you fall off the side of a ship.

But I will blame the news media for stirring up fear in some people. When report about people falling off of ships, they make it seem like happens all of the time. I've had people at work that also ask me about how I keep myself from falling off a ship.

While the question may seem odd or outrageous to a season cruiser, to a newbie who never sailed, this can be a concern.

 

I assume you tell them you don't get drunk and climb up on the railings?

No playing " I'm King Of The World" ala Titanic?

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blindrid

blindrid

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Sounds like mass paranoia breaking out - "It looks easy to fall overboard so I'll stay inside" etc.

 

It's NOT easy and you won't get thrown overboard. Not sure why one would think otherwise. Give yourself a break and take a land based vacation that way the only thing that will get you on the beach is stingrays, rip tides, sharks, step on something and get tetanus, etc, etc, etc.

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momofmeg

momofmeg

Posted
Posted
well especially if its at night and no one see you tumbling over then what?

 

this is really scary

 

Swim and SCREEM! LOL!

 

Seriously though, if you are that paranoid,then cruising is probably not for you.

 

No one falls off ship-they jump off-or they are drunk and doing something foolish like climbing on the rails, but no one falls off.

 

Recently we were in 18 foot waves on a ship,because of this, the promenade and other outside deck doors were locked and were off -limit. The cruiseline will not endanger you.

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momofmeg

momofmeg

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well thats good to know sparky but what is the procedure if you fall overboard and disappear. I mean does the cruise line make some type of compensation for the family?

 

anyways i think everyone is right in saying its better not to get in such a situation but you can never know what will happen....

 

That is why they now have cameras everywhere-because RCI had to pay millions in the Smith case. The lines can now prove whether they were negligent. On NCL Dawn, it was shown by cameras that the idiot woman was climbing between balconies. On the NCL Pearl the woman obviously jumped on her own accord.

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quincytoo

quincytoo

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That is why they now have cameras everywhere-because RCI had to pay millions in the Smith case. The lines can now prove whether they were negligent. On NCL Dawn, it was shown by cameras that the idiot woman was climbing between balconies. On the NCL Pearl the woman obviously jumped on her own accord.

 

A crew member on the Sapphire Princess just said almost very same thing about the cameras everywhere, actually I think these days they know you have hit the water before you do.

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Johnthed0g

Johnthed0g

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I have been on a ship where some one went over the side, P&O Oceana couple of years back, coming home to Southampton only about an hour from docking. We had a general announcement "could xxxx contact the desk" then it was in the cabins, then a major search. Then it was apparent that some one had gone over, a man was in his bathroom, came out to find his wife had gone (balcony cabin). They fished her out within an hour or so, she was dead, injuries consistent with falling 80 feet into water it said in the paper. The question was did she fall....or......

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