What should you do if you are separated from your group at sea?

When you find yourself separated from your group at sea, signaling for help and waiting for others to find you is the best course of action. This approach is grounded in safety protocols that prioritize maintaining visibility and reducing the risk of further accidents.

By signaling for help, you utilize visual or auditory signals that can alert your group or nearby vessels to your position. This might involve using a whistle, mirror, or flares depending on availability. It’s crucial to remain in a location where you can be easily seen, which increases your chances of being rescued.

Waiting for others to find you instead of immediately swimming back to the boat allows you to conserve energy and avoid getting lost, which can happen in open water due to currents or poor visibility. Panic can often lead to irrational decisions and greater danger, while silence might prevent you from attracting attention, as it doesn’t assist others in locating you.

Overall, the choice to signal for help and remain in one place is built on the principles of survival techniques that emphasize the importance of being visible and calm in a potentially life-threatening situation.