GPS could certainly have avoided this tragedy, but in a lurching platform in the dark, and with the crew already “knowing” where they were, there was no sense of urgency to pay close attention and navigate precisely. Even if a chart was displayed on the GPS screen, a look at the chart will show how cluttered it is, how difficult to read, and how staring at a screen can affect night vision. Knowing exactly where you are is not the same as knowing where you should be heading. Just as in driving a car, situational awareness is everything, and speed kills.

GPS is a wonderful thing, to not use it would be irresponsible and poor seamanship; but as I so often try to point out on this forum, technology is no substitute for careful piloting and common sense. Indeed, the false sense of security high tech provides may even have contributed to this accident. At the risk of flying my Luddite flag again, this certainly looks like a GPS-assisted grounding.

Sailors love to fiddle with charts and bearings and plots, its part of the reason we enjoy being on the water. But if the boat is merely a means of transportation for you, just a vehicle to convey you to and from your recreation area; then navigation becomes a chore that can easily be neglected in a moment of overconfidence or fatigue. Even a docile tropical sea on a perfect lovely night can be unforgiving, and deadly.

I don’t know exactly how this accident developed. I wasn’t there. And I certainly can’t claim I haven’t made any mistakes myself! But we really need to be careful out there. Even under clear skies, in ideal weather conditions and sea state, things can go south in a hurry. Right now, the local news media is making a big deal out of the fact that none of the victims was wearing a flotation device.

Life jackets would not have made any difference.