Boat Accident in Trinidad

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Boat Accident in Trinidad

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Boat Accident in Trinidad

Posted by Mike Proctor on April 03, 19100 at 06:56:38:

Hi All;
Nancy and I are still in Trinidad an now we will be here for at least four more
weeks. Which will take us trough carnival. Carnival in Trinidad is billed as one
of the greatest shows on earth. Carnival here is not done for the benefit of
tourists. It is a historic French and African celebration held every year before
the beginning of lent. I wish you could be here to see it

Well accidents will sometimes happen. And I finally had one. Last Thursday, 27
January 2000, I returned from downtown Port of Spain in Trinidad with a friend,
Jerry Anderson. We had gone there to get his son’s marriage license who had been
married here in Trinidad a week or so before. We took his tender, a 12’ whaler
with a 25 hp engine. About 4:30 PM, we were on the way back to Fantasy island
where our boats are, a distance of about a mile or more across open water. The
sea was a bit choppy and the wind was up to somewhere between 13 to 18 knots

Jerry hit a wave that threw him out of the back of the boat into the water. I
was in the front of the boat and did not know he had been thrown out until I
realized that the whaler was out of control. But it was too late, another wave
hit the boat and threw me overboard as well. Before I realized what had happened
the whaler circled around and ran over me. I remember coming to the surface and
saw the boat continuing to circle. I swam to the boat and grasped the side

Jerry also swam to the boat and reached up and shut down the engine. I struggled
with Jerry’s help to enter the boat. Upon entering the boat I noticed that the
bottom of the boat was covered in blood. That’s when I discovered that I had
been seriously hurt. My right forearm had large gash in it an my right hand had
a gash as well. Also two fingers on my right hand were in an odd direction. I
felt very little pain as my body was in state of shock. Jerry got the boat going
and we headed back ashore for help. We got to Crew Inn where a we got someone, I
don’t who, to take me to the hospital. At the hospital I discovered that beside
the damage to my right arm I also had three cuts or more on my right leg and one
across my chest, all caused by the propeller on Jerry’s boat. X-rays revealed
that I also had two broken fingers and a broken wrist. Besides the slashes on
right leg my right leg was also black and blue from thigh to my knee. I had a
orthopedic surgeon operate on my wounds for 90 minutes in the hospital. I had
nearly 50 stitches on my right arm and hand. I spent the night in hospital with
a IV in my arm and antibiotics being pump into me to prevent infections. The
next day I was released from the hospital with my right arm in a sling and
partial cast. On the following Monday I went to see the doctor who operated on
me. He said that everything appears to be healing OK. Tomorrow I see him again,
for some more x-rays and to remove the stitches; I hope

There was a lesson learned here. That was when ever I am in a small boat with an
outboard motor always wear the engine kill lanyard around your wrist. At least
the engine will shut off if the driver of the boat falls out.

Yesterday I had all of the stitches removed from my right hand and arm. The
doctor told me if I am careful I will need a cast. He has told me that the bones
have already started to heal. He would like me to start exercising my fingers
and wrist to help stretch the tendons. I have another appointment on February
21.

Follow Ups:

Re: Boat Accident in Trinidad Chester 16:21:00 4/03/100 (0)
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