How to enter the water, if need be..

[hal lover]

On Baileybassett's recent review of their cruise they mentioned that they were told how to enter the water if the need arose.

No one has ever told me. Do of any of you know the correct way to do this?

Very curious!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Good question. I really never thought about it before.

My inclination would be to go into the water feet first.

Will be curious to see what others say.

[hal lover]

Now let me clarify this question...

I know to go to the muster station and how to get into a life boat.... but what if one had to actually enter the water?

[cruisemom42]

Isn't this usually covered in muster drills? (Or maybe I'm thinking of airline safety drills for overseas flights...?)

 

I remember hearing many times that one should:

 

a) put on your life vest

 

b) step to the edge of the deck

 

c) look down to ensure you have a clear path to the water

 

d) hold your nose with one hand and put your other hand around your middle to hold your vest on securely

 

e) jump feet first into the water

 

 

Edited to add: I've also been told that if you don't have time to get your life vest (or have access to one), grab a life preserver or anything that might float and toss it overboard before jumping.

[jo-b]

On P&O they used to demonstrate how to do this.

 

Hold your lifejacket down on the shouder with one hand, holding your arm across your chest, to stop it jolting up under your chin. Hold your nose with the other hand and step off the ship....easy peasy:eek:

[AZNative2000]

I know to go to the muster station and how to get into a life boat.... but what if one had to actually enter the water?

It would seem to me that is would depend on how high above the water you are WITH YOUR LIFE VEST ON. If it is already at your feet, you could sit and slide in. If it was close (within 3-4 feet) you could step off. But if it was several decks down and you had to jump,:eek::eek:

 

Geeze, I hope I never have to think about this while aboard ship!

 

Sorry. typing at the same time as jo-b.

[cruz chic]

Isn't this usually covered in muster drills? (Or maybe I'm thinking of airline safety drills for overseas flights...?)

 

I remember hearing many times that one should:

 

a) put on your life vest

 

b) step to the edge of the deck

 

c) look down to ensure you have a clear path to the water

 

d) hold your nose with one hand and put your other hand around your middle to hold your vest on securely

 

e) jump feet first into the water

 

 

Edited to add: I've also been told that if you don't have time to get your life vest (or have access to one), grab a life preserver or anything that might float and toss it overboard before jumping.

Yes, I've heard that at the last several drills at least.

[Scrapnana]

At my last muster drill this was not discussed.

 

I have not had a life vest on in awhile. Would putting your arm across your chest really hold it in place?

[cubfan63]

On P&O they used to demonstrate how to do this.

 

Hold your lifejacket down on the shouder with one hand, holding your arm across your chest, to stop it jolting up under your chin. Hold your nose with the other hand and step off the ship....easy peasy:eek:

 

This is still the method that is demonstrated in the muster drills on Princess, at least as of this last March.

 

I saw no demonstration last May on the Veendam and it was difficult to hear anything over the speaker during the drill.

[slabeaume]

I presume you would also go to the lowest deck possible. You wouldn't want to jump from Lido and try to hold down your vest.

[hal lover]

Yes, I've heard that at the last several drills at least.

 

Have been on quite a few HA cruises and the last being last December. I am one of those passenger's that really pay attention at the drill. NEVER have I heard instructions if you had to actually enter the water. Yep, hope I never have to!:eek:

[Cruising Jedi]

Yes, I do remember it being stressed to "step off" the ship, rather than actually "jumping". :eek:

[rogerthornhill]

We did two HAL cruises in April. This was covered on both of them.

[Globaliser]

d) hold your nose with one hand and put your other hand around your middle to hold your vest on securely

Hold your lifejacket down on the shouder with one hand, holding your arm across your chest, to stop it jolting up under your chin.

This bit is very important. For anyone who's wondering about why, the answer is that if you enter the water at some speed, having dropped the height of a number of decks, if you do not do something to try to stop the life jacket riding up as it floats while you continue downwards, it will break your neck or take your head off.

 

One other important thing is not to jump in the conventional sense. You should take a step off the deck as if you were simply walking forwards.

 

As far as I can remember, I have seen this briefed and/or demonstrated on "British" ships (P&O and Princess) but not on other ships that I have been on. But I don't know whether any (or, if so, which) regulators have this briefing as a mandatory part of the safety briefing.

[YubaSutter]

I would probably utilize the Triple Lindy dive from the bow of the ship, with extra effort to nail the entry for extra points.

[sail7seas]

YEARS ago on Monarch of the Seas, when the ship was new, the Officer conducting life boat drill at our station instructed that if there was a need to enter the water, he made it clear, the higher up from which you leave the ship, the more like concrete that water is going to be. To have any chance of surviving, he instructed we should cross our arms across our chest and firmly hold each shoulder over our life vest to keep it from riding up and potentially injuring our neck.

 

Let's hope no one needs to enter water from a ship but it is a really, really high risk thing to do. I suppose if fire is nipping at your feet and there is no other choice.......

 

[amster65]

I would probably utilize the Triple Lindy dive from the bow of the ship, with extra effort to nail the entry for extra points.

 

 

Would do mine with a double twist:D

[wander]

I personally do no recall this ever being covered on a cruise, but I do know that for scuba diving they always emphasize stepping off the boat or platform and NOT jumping. Of course, for this you are much closer to the water than on the muster deck of a ship, much, much closer.

[Junebug Jeffery]

At the muster drill on the Emerald Princess last spring we had the drill exactly as cruisemom42 described. Prior to that we had never had these instructions on a HAL or Carnival ship. It was unnerveing to say the least.

[Sir PMP]

On Baileybassett's recent review of their cruise they mentioned that they were told how to enter the water if the need arose.

 

No one has ever told me. Do of any of you know the correct way to do this?

 

Very curious!

 

Well, before you do anything, do you know how to swim?

[Boytjie]

Well, before you do anything, do you know how to swim?

 

So someone that cannot swim but has a life jacket on should not abandon ship? :confused: :eek:

[Sir PMP]

So someone that cannot swim but has a life jacket on should not abandon ship? :confused: :eek:

 

what lifejacket?

[sail7seas]

So someone that cannot swim but has a life jacket on should not abandon ship? :confused: :eek:

 

what lifejacket?

 

 

Let's hope none of us are abandoning any ships!!!!

 

[Boytjie]

what lifejacket?

 

The ones that are in your cabin, or on the promenade deck... as you might have seen the discussion here has been about jumping into the water with a life jacket on, hence the advice to hold onto it to avoid neck injuries. :rolleyes:

 

As a last resort I am sure people in a life-or-death situation may jump into the ocean without a life jacket even if they couldn't swim. Just as people jump out of burning buildings.

[YubaSutter]

Would do mine with a double twist:D

 

The Triple Lindy does not have twists. But, it is the most difficult dive of all time as seen in the movie "Back to School"