Boater Beware
Ambler Isle
V and S
Wed 23 Mar 2011 16:25
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We heard the story from a fellow cruiser of how he
nearly lost his fingers in the anchor winch last year. Pulling anchor, he
bend over to straighten the chain and accidently knelt on the electric winch
button on the deck, causing it to draw in his left hand along with the anchor
chain. His wife turned the boat around and they dropped the anchor back
down. She hailed on the VHF radio the water taxi driver, Elvis, who had
just passed by their boat moments before. He came immediately. Looking
back at the anchorage across the bay, she was surprised to see "fleas" crossing
the harbour. It was a regiment of dozens of dinghies who had heard the
call and were coming to help. Some brought cell phones, computers for
internet access, satellite phones. One, an EMT arrived snapping on
his rubber gloves: he'd come to clean the blood off the boat. Some
would move the boat back to its usual mooring ball. Still others would
check on it daily and run the generator. Others came simply to be there
for them. Soon they were at the local government clinic. The doctor
came, looked at the hand and announced he should go to Nassau to have the
fingers amputated! From there they were on their own. The clinic
refused to even let them use the phone. When they left the clinic, they
found a car waiting for them. Strangers who lived on the island had also
heard the call and came to take them wherever they needed to go. They
helped them arrange flights to the USA. After a quick trip to the boat for
their passports and documents, the good Samaritans drove them to the airport and
soon they were on their way to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The victim said it
was the longest flight of his life. Watching the skyline of
Lauderdale slowly come into view was torture. There another cruiser
couple, Keith and Rose from Co picked them up. They'd met in
Georgetown years before, and had not yet left for their Bahamas trip.
Keith and Rose drove them to their homeport of Vero Beach where a specialist was
waiting for them at the local hospital. He was able to save all four of
the mangled fingers. The fingers look normal, and he retained full use of
the hand. Later he tried to recoup some of the emergency costs from his
insurer, Diver's Alert Network, aka D.A.N. D.A.N. provides emergency
medevac services to members. First they denied the claim: they'd failed to
call D.A.N. and let them make the travel arrangements. But in
the end, they paid the $1000 airfare. The trip would have cost
them much more had they sent a helicopter to the rescue. And the
nature of an emergency here is: no phone, no doctor, can't find the
insurance card. I am sure most remote emergencies do not follow the set
procedure. Who has time for procedure?
But the story hit home. The equipment on a boat
can be very dangerous. Especially handling the anchor. I always wear
shoes. I think I may add lose fitting gloves. And an extra large
scoop of respect for the thing.
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