A BOATING CULTURE WE CAN BE PROUD OF

A BOATING CULTURE WE CAN BE PROUD OF It has been said, “It takes a village to raise a child”. This statement opens our mind to a far larger reality. As parents, we hold our children dearly and try to protect them from elements of society we judge undesirable. Family always comes first, and charity begins at home. That’s an undisputable fact. But we know children have a mind of their own and often the bigger influence may come, not from family and relatives but from interactions with the larger community of classmates & friends who they spend more time with and from the influences of culture & popular practices of the village. As fellow human beings, we share similar character traits and personalities. Putting race aside, it is culture that sets us apart and the differences can be conspicuously distinct. Likewise, it takes a whole boating community to raise a boater. Left alone, he/she will not unconsciously learn the ropes and grow into a proficient seafarer, although there will be exceptions. The journey of acquiring one's sea-legs is a long and arduous one. The burden of "parenting" cannot rest on government authority or PPCDL (Powered Pleasure Craft Driving Licence) Schools. It is not a simple case of issuing a driving license. The PPCDL initiative is a sensible start. The journey continues and the learning and experiences never ends. The task of the village naturally rests on the shoulders of the boating community. In our case Fellow Boaters (both professional & leisure), Marinas, Yacht Clubs, Associations and Sea Activity Centers. If we give credence to this adage, (It takes a village…..) it will raise the tide of our consciousness to this obligation and hopefully trigger a new found courage to take up collective ownership of the local boating culture. Simply put: Let’s undertake the task of building a boating culture that’s promotes the OBSERVANCE OF GOOD SEAMANSHIP & BOATING ETIQUETTE. Let’s take it one day at a time, one boater at a time. Every drop makes an ocean. WF