Investigation lesson learned: You want a bitter end

Working with maritime investigations I’m often reminded of the many different competencies you need to build a complete picture of events and causes – and the many different perspectives and intricate relations a floating community of mariners can harbour. So, as a landlubbing psychologist I’m acutely aware of my limitations. In fact, this is one my strongest professional convictions: The human element is everywhere, but to understand it you must know the context. Luckily, most mariners are quite understanding of my handicap and usually we manage to pull our different competencies into an improved understanding.

A slightly humorous case in point I discovered during an investigation is the “bitter end”. To most landlubbers it’s just a metaphor, although some of the more etymologically interested have heard of its assumed nautical origin. – But when your anchor winch fails and the whole chain rushes out to sea, the bitter end takes on a very real and tangible meaning: It’s what can stop the whole chain from disappearing in the deep. Lesson learned: You want a bitter end!