Apple Features Safe/Sea Worldwide
14-Nov-2011 
As our long-time customers are well aware, Safe/Sea has always been at the cutting edge of maritime and information technology. I distinctly remember marveling at the equipment Captain Pete had aboard the original Safe/Sea Salvor in late 1980's. First, there was a cellular telephone the size of a small carry-on suitcase. Next came a GPS that not only gave a boat's location with amazing accuracy, but did so on a screen that showed the outline of a chart. I was, quite simply, in awe.
Fast-forward more than twenty years and here I sit, a fifteen-year Safe/Sea employee. The bag phone has been replaced with an iPhone, and the GPS chartplotter seems paltry compared to my iPad, but the commitment to technology remains the same.
In early 2010, while talking with our Apple Business Representative over a new computer purchase, we were asked if a small video profile of our company could be produced for a regional conference of Apple employees. Being loyal Apple customers for over twenty years, we readily consented and agreed to provide some of our onboard footage for the effort. That two-minute video went on to play both at the Apple Conference and the Providence Boat Show, but little did we know that it had begun to take on a life of its own.
We were again contacted in early 2011, this time by Apple representatives from the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California. The short video played in Boston the previous year had caught the attention of someone from Cupertino, and generated buzz on the West coast. We were again asked if we would be willing to participate in a video, but this time on a slightly bigger scale.
After numerous conference calls and what appeared to be an amazing amount of planning on Apple's part, Safe/Sea received a visit from Apple in June of this year. A Senior Apple Marketing Manager was joined by lead photographer José Azel and a number of technical assistants.
The visit lasted three days and included both time on the water as well as time in and around the office. In fact, what was intended to be a casual meet and greet the first night turned into a full blown shoot when a call for assistance came in and José insisted he couldn't "waste the beautiful light".
In an effort to accurately capture night operations, day two began well before dawn. The Safe/Sea staff met with the Apple crew at 4:00am and staged a full night evolution with a borrowed boat. Over the course of the morning, we were able to capture photographs in darkness, at dawn, and in full sunlight. From there, it was back to the Safe/Sea office for more photo shoots and audio interviews with Captains Pete Andrews and Phil LeBlanc. Finally, to end the night, everyone returned to the boats and proceeded to Newport Harbor for more underway action photos of our staff and equipment.
On the final day of the visit, it was time for the photographers to show their artistry with time-lapse shots of the Safe/Sea vessels departing and returning, as well as some high altitude shots around Plum Beach Lighthouse.
We're thrilled with the end result. To have our small local business featured by a major international company like Apple is just incredible. Apple technology has always enabled us to accomplish things that are impossible on other platforms, and we are very proud that Apple has chosen to feature Safe/Sea alongside such famous worldwide brands as Benetton, General Electric, and Hyatt.
The full video and profile can be found at:
http://www.apple.com/ipad/business/profiles/safe-sea-marine-rescue/ or
http://www.apple.com/iphone/business/profiles/safe-sea-marine-rescue/
The videos can also be downloaded directly from iTunes using the following links:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/safe-sea-marine-rescue/id419217608?i=100976461 or
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/safe-sea-marine-rescue/id355298768?i=102751002
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