Kharma - Did I kill or save ?

[Dominic]

Two weeks ago I made a phone call and asked N. to skipper for me down here in the Canaries for a week.

N. had registered with Reliance as delivery crew and had been contacted by Alasdair Crawford to crew for him as 3rd man on a delivery to St Lucia.
N. turned him down to do the job for me.

The yacht was wrecked (as you have read elsewhere). If N. had been on board (N. is a late 40´s Whitbread ocean racer yachtmaster, sailing as crew on his first Reliance delivery)

-he might have persuaded Crawford not to leave port
-he might have caused Crawford to take a more detailed look at the weather forecast
-he might have walked off the boat, forcing Crawford to wait while another crew was recruited
-he might have sailed and died.

With my phone call to N. - taking him off that job and offering him another - Did I cause Crawford´s death or did I save N.´s life ?

Karma. Who can tell how life turns out.
The coincidence sends shivers up my spine - N turned white when he came back into port yesterday and I told him about the lost yacht.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[OzGirl]

You didn't 'do' anything altho' I can understand why you ponder this question and I sympathise. But its Fate.....Kismet......Que Sera Sera.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Peppermint]

Re: If...

...is the big one isn't it.

In this case there is no need to reproach yourself. Coincidence isn't as rare as we think.

How does your friend feel about it? I only ask because I had a similar escape from the 79 Fastnet.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[graham]

I remember the Herald of free Enterprise disaster.

An army regiment in Germany were due to go on leave ,several of the men were booked on that sailing but at the last moment the Commanding Officer of the regiment decided standards were slipping and postponed everyones leave for 2 days to sort things out.

While they spent 2 days cleaning weapons and servicing vehicles ,instead of home in the UK enjoying themselves,the CO (normally highly regarded)was a hated man.

Iwonder what they thought of him later?

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[starboard]

Dont really worry yourself...if you have to just have your thoughts with Alasdairs family!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Lizzie_B]

Re: If...

i had similar from Fittleton disaster in '76.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[oldharry]

Theres quite enough to worry about with what we actually do without worrying about the 'ifs' as well.

No you did not kill anyone, or cause their death.

No you did not save Ns life.

The people concerned made up their own minds about sailing or not sailing - and took the consequences, good and bad.

That is what every single one of us does every time we set off in our boats. How many times has my boss saved my life by calling me into work when I was planning to go sailing..?

Living involves risk. Taking Risks means sometimes it pans out against you. Crawford, you and I were, and are, all at far greater risk travelling down the motorway than we ever are on our boats. But we do not think twice about doing it.

<hr width=100% size=1>