Yachting
Cruising

Hebe Haven is right in the middle of one of the nicest small cruising areas you will find anywhere. Within five minutes of dropping your mooring or leaving the pontoon you can be in picturesque and protected Port Shelter, perhaps heading for a quiet beach, anchorage or seafood restaurant. Or you might plan a longer trip, head outside and turn left towards Mirs Bay and the stunning scenery of Double Haven and Crooked Harbour, or turn right towards Hong Kong South or the busy harbour. Its all good!

Sailing and cruising are tremendous fun. Why else would anyone do it? The more prepared you are, the more fun you will have. As skipper, you are ultimately responsible for the safety of your vessel and crew. So, before you set off, here are a few questions you might like to ask yourself.
  • Is your boat seaworthy in all respects, and is it suitable for your proposed trip and the forecast weather?
  • Do you, or your crew, need any additional training or practice?
  • Where are you going, how far is it, how long will it take, and when does it get dark?
  • Have you spent some time thinking about what might go wrong and how you would cope?
  • Do you have suitable safety equipment on board, have you recently checked its condition, and, just as important, do you know how to use it properly?
  • What is the weather forecast? Would you still go if the Strong Monsoon Warning, Thunderstorm Warning or Rainstorm Warnings were up?
  • What would you do if your steering failed? Or if someone (perhaps you!) fell overboard?
  • What would you do if caught out in poor visibility?
  • What would you do if a big rain squall came through (these can contain 40 knot winds and driving rain)?
  • Powerboaters – do you have enough fuel? If the weather turns against you, are you happy handling your boat in choppy seas? What will you do if your engine fails? Do you know where the Speed Restricted Zones are? Do you look behind you to see what effect your wake is having on other boats?
  • Yachities – what would you do if your rig failed? Can you and your crew efficiently reduce sail if the wind comes up?

Asking yourself questions like these, and thinking about the answers, is good seamanship.

Some ideas you might like to consider:
  • Weather forecasts in Hong Kong are good and easy to get hold of. On the internet, try the Weather Underground at http://www.weather.org.hk/ or the Observatory at http://www.hko.gov.hk/. At sea, use your mobile to check on weather conditions with the Observatory at http://www.hko.gov.hk/. If severe weather is around there are also regular updates on the local broadcast radio stations.
  • Always check your planned route on an up-to-date chart. Look for ROCKS, REEFS and WRECKS. These are the things that will sink your boat. Check the shipping channels and Traffic Separation Zones. Remind yourself how to handle these.
  • Marine Department produce a handy book of all the Hong Kong charts, with extra information on VHF radio zones, Speed Restricted Zones and special areas. Available at $400 from Mardep offices (including Sai Kung). Well worth the money.

If you think your boat or crew are in danger, and you are not confident you can quickly resolve the situation, do not be afraid to ask for help. Your mobile phone might be your best friend here. Some useful numbers:
  • Mardep Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre 2233 7999 / 2233 7998
  • Marine Police East (Sai Kung) 2791 1200
  • HHYC Marine 2719 3673

Mobile phones don't always work. Think about getting a marine band VHF and learning how to use it properly. A one-day course will both do this and get you an operator's licence.

If your mobile or VHF doesn't fetch help, do you have distress flares and do you know how (and when) to use them?

Do you know any other distress signals (look them up).

Remember, it is also your duty in law to assist anyone else in distress (without endangering your own vessel).

Anchor properly in good holding ground (preferably nice sticky mud). Is your ground tackle big enough? Let out enough scope. Dig the anchor in properly. You never know when that 40 knot squall is going to come through your nice sheltered anchorage.

Regularly revise your lights, shapes and signals, together with the Rules of the Road and the local rules. We all forget these at times, although we shouldn't.

And finally – always be aware of where you are, where you are going, and the state of your vessel and crew. This is not a bad definition of seamanship.