T&T: Boating Accidents in the News

[Mike Maurice]

> What has me worried recently is how many of the professions been involved  in 
> these collisions.  Namely, A cruise ship 17 NM off course to Boston from  
> Bermuda; An ore vessel collides with a 92 ft S/V, killing the a crew  member;  A 




It's just plain spooky, all these accidents in the professional realm.
I refer you to a post by Rich Gano in 2005, regarding the necessity of 
accountability in marine accidents and the cruelty of that accountability.

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T&T: More on the Captain and his accountability
Rich Gano
Sat Dec 31 20:42:54 EST 2005

Wall Street Journal editorial of 14 May 1952. It refers to the collision 
in April of that year between the USS
HOBSON, a WWII Gleaves-class tin can, and the USS WASP, a carrier.
++++++++

Cruel, because no matter how deep the probe, it cannot change
the dead, because it cannot probe deeper the remorse.
	And it seems crueler still, because all around us in other places we see
the plea accepted that what is done is done beyond discussion, and that for
good men in their human errors there should be afterwards no accountability.

***************

    	It is cruel, this accountability of good and well-intentioned men.  But
the choice is that or an end to responsibility and finally, as the cruel sea
has taught, an end to the confidence and trust in the men who lead, for men
will not long trust leaders who feel themselves beyond accountability for
what they do.

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This is where the phrase, HOBSON's choice comes from.

If you want to go down to the sea in your ship then you have joined the 
fraternity where there are real and awful consequences. You can kill a 
lot of other people and carry your ship and all it's inhabitants to a 
frightful end.



Mike

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Capt. Mike Maurice
Beaverton Oregon(Near Portland)