Coast Guard Boards Our 64’ Viking! | Stuart to Cape May – Episode 3

Our journey north on the ICW continues! In Episode 3, we leave Skull Creek Marina in Hilton Head, South Carolina, aboard High Life, our 64’ Viking, and continue north toward Cape May, New Jersey. This leg takes us through some incredible stretches of the Intracoastal Waterway, with stops in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Wrightsville Beach, and finally Belhaven, North Carolina. But the most memorable part of this episode happened on our way to Myrtle Beach, when we were stopped and boarded by the U.S. Coast Guard for a vessel inspection. We passed with flying colors—and that wasn’t an accident. We had previously taken advantage of a voluntary Coast Guard vessel safety inspection, so we knew our safety equipment was in order and that High Life was prepared. That experience leads into one of the biggest Big Game Theory lessons of this trip: prepare for the inspection before the inspector arrives. Years ago in business, I learned that lesson the hard way. OSHA offers voluntary consultation programs that can help businesses identify safety issues before an enforcement inspection. I didn’t take advantage of that opportunity. When OSHA eventually inspected my business, we weren’t as prepared as we should have been—and we received a fine. On the boat, I approached things differently. OSHA taught me the lesson. The Coast Guard proved I learned it. Whether you’re running a manufacturing company or a 64’ Viking, preparation, checklists, safety systems, and taking advantage of expert help before something goes wrong can make all the difference. Come along as we continue our journey north: Hilton Head → Charleston → Myrtle Beach → Wrightsville Beach → Belhaven Boating, business, leadership, and the lessons that connect them—that’s what Big Game Theory is all about. If you’re enjoying the journey, subscribe to the channel, like the video, and leave a comment. And let us know: Have you ever been boarded by the Coast Guard? Were you ready? BIG GAME THEORY – THE BOOK My book, Big Game Theory, takes the lessons I’ve learned from decades in business and big-game fishing and shows how many of the same principles apply to both. Leadership, preparation, teamwork, decision-making, continuous improvement, and learning from mistakes can determine whether you succeed—whether you’re running a company or running offshore. Get Big Game Theory on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H9VKGJQM #BigGameTheory #ICW #IntracoastalWaterway #VikingYachts #CoastGuard #Boating #BoatSafety #USCG #HiltonHead #Charleston #MyrtleBeach #WrightsvilleBeach #BelhavenNC #Leadership #BusinessLessons #Sportfishing #BoatingLife #YachtLife #CapeMay #StuartFlorida #BoatLife #EastCoastBoating #Cruising #YachtDelivery #OffshoreFishing #64Viking #oshaapproved