Part of the safety preparation for the Caribbean 1500 is to attend practical training in sea survival.
So Hope and Howard went to the Naval College in Annapolis, while William and Karen went to Hamble in Southampton, and as part of three days of training, practised man overboard recovery, use of flares, and deploying and using a life raft in the calm, warm and safe waters of a swimming pool.
We all learnt that it’s hard and dangerous, and to be avoided at all costs – the boat must either be sinking or on fire, otherwise it’s safer and more comfortable to stay on board no matter what the conditions, than to take to an inflated paddling pool in the middle of the ocean!
Let’s hope we never have to practise any of what we learnt.