After centuries of sailors, praying and hoping for a ’magic button’ with which to save their lives far from shore on the briney deep, we are now in the 21st century in the enviable situation of having just that built into all newly built VHF and SSB units.   The incredible functionality of the DSC button and all the other modern electronic life saving devices available, remains somewhat hidden for many sailors however, behind a raft of acronyms, a confusing plethora of device specifications and a shrewd suspicion of the actual benefits of such ’witchcraft’.   The truth is though, that the ’Global Maritime Distress and Safety System’ (GMDSS) is available for all mariners, whether gunk-holing along the coast or crossing oceans. In this episode we will dig into the incredible technology available to allow you to call for help, if you should be unlucky enough to find yourself in ’Grave & Imminent Danger’.   If you would like to support the podcast or develop your seamanship skills and overall safety at sea, please consider joining my Patreon community at: https://www.patreon.com/themariner