Watch Your Step

 

Last Friday I decided to get ambitious and wash the top of the wheelhouse. I had managed to scrub most of the four months of grime off the forward deck the week before. One needs a short step-ladder to climb up on the wheelhouse roof. Once finished with the cleaning, I asked Jim to help me get back down as now the forward deck was a bit damp as well.

He forgot to put on his shoes and took a nasty tumble on the main deck. A very loud curse got several people in the marina running our way. He said he had felt bones break in both his left wrist and ankle. Quick action by our dock-master and several neighbors and the rescue "pompiers" were on the scene in minutes.

 

 

Pompiers are actually firemen (Yes, they have the calendar) but they also are highly respected for their emergency services. In just a few minutes, they had assessed the situation and made a plan to get him safely to the hospital. Here's a few shots of the tricky manuevers to get him off the boat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The assesment is two broken bones in his left ankle and two broken bones in his left wrist. He had surgery the same day to insert pins and plates. No weight on ankle or wrist for six weeks. Looks like our boating plans are on hold once again.

 

 

Click Here for Part Two