Final answer:
The crew of a capsized boat must remain calm, prioritize staying with the boat, and ensure clear exit when abandoning it. The provided excerpts depict their struggle at sea, systematic survival efforts, and rescue. Misconceptions about drowning and CPR are also addressed.
Step-by-step explanation:
The golden rule if a boat capsizes is for everyone involved to stay with the boat and get clear of it when jumping out to avoid getting trapped or injured by the boat itself. The passages provided describe the harsh conditions and critical decisions faced by the crew of a small boat caught in a perilous situation at sea. The crew had a system where one would row until exhaustion and then switch with another who was resting. There's a mention of the common myth about drowning, where people wrongly assume that those who are drowning can shout and wave for help, which is often not the case due to the nature of drowning.
Under the threat of swamping, calmness and preparation are emphasized over panic, as demonstrated by the crew's methodical communication and actions. Furthermore, the misjudgment of another myth, that of starting CPR in water, is clarified with the reality that a person must first be brought to land before administering CPR effectively.
Ultimately, survival and rescue efforts concentrate around the collective struggle of the crew and their interactions with rescuers, leading to a somber realization of their fate as seen through the tribulations of each individual, including the captain, the cook, the correspondent, and the oiler.