Safety When Out and About: A Practical Guide for Yacht Crew

1. Travel in Pairs (or Groups) Where You Can

The simplest habit is also one of the most consistent across international travel guidance. Australia's Smartraveller (opens in a new tab) recommends thinking about transportation before you go out, staying in touch, looking after your friends, and planning how you'll get home safely.

Some ways to make that work in a crew environment:

• Agree on a plan before you leave the dock. Decide who you are going with, roughly where you are headed, and that you will head back together. Make sure people outside your group also know when to expect you back.
• Look out for each other, not just yourselves. If a crewmate seems far drunker than their drinks would explain, or is being pressured to leave with someone, step in.
• If you choose to go out on your own, take a few extra precautions. Let someone you trust know where you are going and when you expect to be back, keep your phone charged, and have a reliable way to get back. If possible, have a backup plan for getting back to the dock in case there’s an issue with trains, rideshares, or taxis.

These simple steps can make it easier to get help if something unexpected happens.

2. Protect Your Drink

Drink spiking can happen anywhere, and it may be impossible to tell that a drink has been tampered with. Smartraveller (opens in a new tab) advises travelers to watch drinks being made, avoid leaving them unattended, and get to a safe place and seek medical help if they begin to feel unexpectedly unwell.

Practical safety guidance around alcohol includes:

1. Don't leave your drink unattended. If you lose sight of it, leave it behind rather than continuing to drink it.
2. Get your own drinks. When possible, watch your drink being made from start to finish and never accept open drinks from strangers.
3. Be cautious with shared containers. With punch bowls, buckets, or other communal drinks, you cannot be sure what has been added or how much alcohol is in your glass.
4. Know the warning signs. Feeling much drunker than expected, dizziness, confusion, nausea, memory problems, or suddenly feeling unwell can all be signs that something is wrong.
5. Act early. If something feels off, tell a trusted friend and get somewhere safe. Stay with anyone who appears to have been spiked rather than leaving them alone, and seek medical care if needed.

It is also important to remember that the person causing harm may not be a stranger. Police.uk (opens in a new tab) notes that someone responsible for spiking may be someone the victim knows, including a friend or work colleague. That is particularly relevant for yacht crew, who may work and socialize within the same close-knit community.

Yacht crew should also remember that someone who causes harm may be someone they work with, socialize with, or otherwise know through the industry. For crew, that can make an already difficult situation even more complicated, because living and working on a yacht may mean continuing to interact with the person involved. ISWAN (opens in a new tab) highlights the particular challenges faced by yacht crew experiencing sexual violence and harassment.

That is why these safety habits matter even when you are with people you know or in places where you feel comfortable.

3. Tell Someone Where You Are Going and Set a Check-In Time

Crew already live by the idea of being accounted for onboard. The same logic applies ashore. International travel guidance (opens in a new tab) recommends staying in contact with someone you trust and making sure someone knows your plans when you travel or go out.

A simple version for a night out:

• Tell your captain, or a trusted crewmate, where you are going and who you are with. It can help to tell loved ones at home too, but someone local should always know where to find you.
• Pick a check-in time and send a quick message when you arrive and when you are heading back.
• Agree what happens if you miss it. Decide in advance who will call you and what they will do if you do not answer. That last step is our suggestion rather than something the sources prescribe, but it is what makes a check-in time worth setting.
• Keep your phone charged and make sure you have a way to contact someone if your plans change.

4. If You Find Yourself Alone at Night

Sometimes plans fall apart. A crewmate leaves early, a taxi never shows, or you simply end up walking back alone. Knowing some of these safety tips for being out alone might help keep you safe.

1. Use verified transport only. Research your options before you go out and use licensed taxis, reputable transport services, or pre-booked rides where possible. Smartraveller (opens in a new tab) specifically advises travelers to use licensed taxis and save the numbers of trusted taxi services and local emergency services.
2. Stay in well-lit, populated areas. Avoid walking alone through dark or isolated areas late at night. If you need to change your route to stay around other people, do so.
3. Be aware of your surroundings. The CDC (opens in a new tab) recommends paying attention to your surroundings and varying your routine, so you are less predictable when traveling abroad.
4. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, leave. You don't need to wait for something to happen before deciding a situation is uncomfortable or unsafe. Be cautious when leaving a venue with someone you have just met, particularly when you would otherwise be alone. And always tell someone where you are going, where you are when you get there, and when to expect you back onboard.