Jessica Watson’s attempt to circumnavigate the world.
A vast amount of media coverage has been generated by 16 year old Jessica Watson’s attempt to circumnavigate the world aboard her sloop 'Pink Lady'. Opinion is widely divided as to whether she should make the trip or not.
However, apart from all the opinions that have been expressed the question of who should pay the bill if Jessica requires assistance is another issue. Over the years, a number of high profile yachting adventurers have been rescued from their vessels. One of the largest items of coverage was that of the rescue of British solo sailor Tony Bullimore from the Southern Ocean several years ago. There were howls of horror from some quarters of the Australian public who were vocal in suggesting Bullimore should have footed the bill for his rescue, which apparently cost the Australian taxpayers millions of dollars.
The argument is that if someone is prepared to put their life at risk on the world’s oceans, they should also be adequately insured in case of a subsequent rescue. Of course, the cost of such insurance would likely be prohibitive and deter all but the wealthiest of ocean going sailors.
Others suggest that the pioneering attitude needed to undertake such risky journeys is part of the human psyche and was paramount to mans past exploration of the world and should be encouraged, not demeaned.
Whatever side of the argument is taken it does pose a global question regarding all sport/leisure past times. Recently, a bushwalker got lost on a low risk walk near Sydney and it took a massive search and rescue team to locate him again, costing the taxpayer lots of extra dollars. He then allegedly, received a large amount of money from a media organization for his story but instead of repaying the authorities for their costs, took off back to the UK with the money causing a rift between him and his father.
It is only yachties and bushwalkers who get into trouble. Fishermen are notorious for getting washed off rocks or capsizing the fishing boat, requiring search and rescue efforts that cost taxpayers money.
The question of whether solo sailors, or for that matter all sailors, should be allowed to set sail unless adequately insured against the possibility of rescue, remains unanswered. Maybe it is because there are thousands of people who put their lives at risk participating in a plethora of leisure activities every day of the week that could result in an expensive rescue, that no restrictions are placed on those activities.
Is there a possibility that at some time in the future, these sports/hobbies/past times will be graded according to their risk value and compulsory insurance premiums attached to such activity before the participants are allowed to indulge? Time will tell.
- Should leisure activities be graded according to risk value?
- Should there be compulsory insurance on participants?
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