NEVER LEAVE THE BOAT

"Never leave the boat!"  Those words spoken by the cook of the patrol boat in the movie Apocalypse Now are good advice.  If you do leave the boat make sure you have an easy way to get back on this video shows why:



Also make sure you have a good reason to go ashore and not have someone stay on board to keep an anchor watch. The video also shows why it is good to make sure your ground tackle and anchor are up to the task.  I'm certainly glad I got some new chain  this year especially after seeing this video.
Another good thing to do is keep the boat in sight if you do go on land and keep a weather eye out for changing conditions and get back early if they do. Oh yeah, make sure you have real good life jackets on board in the dink.


MORE THOUGHTS:  Watching the above video reminded me of the time I attempted to join the flotilla welcoming back Reid Stowe from his "Thousand Days at Sea" voyage. I had not left the boat but, a long fetch across the bay and building winds made the bow of BIANKA pitch wildly up and down. Not as much as this boat but, enough to make raising the anchor rather difficult. Especially when the windlass failed.  It was a learning experience and one I would rather not repeat.