So I’m not a boat person but I was under the impression that the law of the sea requires other boats to aide people in the water. Like I think it’s a requirement. I’m pretty sure it’s the reason why tankers and whatnot stop and help ships in distress. Could be just something I heard as a kid though.
If I’m in his shoes, I’m doing EXACTLY what he did. If questioned about it, I’d say “Theres no way I could have helped. My presence would not have helped them. It would have only capsized my boat too, and put my crew in danger.”
Of coarse, I’d never BE in his shoes. Because if someone asked me “Hey, do you want to go on a tiny boat, and look at whales?” My response would be “Fuck no! That sounds like a terrible idea.”
I once ran away from a person in trouble to save my own hide, and it haunts me to this day.