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Pulling Together

WHOI staff link up and swim together as part of their small boat safety training course in spring 2008. Scientific and technical staff who wish to pilot the Institution’s small boats must get certified for operation and safety every three years. The training includes an opportunity to put on immersion suits (sometimes called “survival suits”) and to practice how to survive a sinking boat in cold New England waters. The group forms a human chain because it increases the likelihood of survival if everyone stays together (versus drifting apart); it is easier for rescuers to spot a large group than an individual; and survivors can give each other encouragement and physical support.
(Photo by Jayne Doucette, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)