Part of the challenge is that it’s not easy – but then if it was, it wouldn’t present the challenge, or the satisfaction of achievement. The crews come from all walks of life, all backgrounds and from all corners of the globe. The fleet comprises of ten identical 68 foot stripped down racing yachts that are built for speed and not comfort. Each one is sponsored by a city, region or country with a crew of 18 and a professional skipper on board. In 2009 I applied to take part in the 2011/2012 race which began on the 31st July last year. It takes place every two years and takes 11 months to complete. I’ll join my team in San Francisco in April to take part in the final two legs (around 8,000 nautical miles) which will see us race from San Francisco out into the Pacific Ocean, then south through the Panama Canal and back out into Atlantic waters where we head north and into New York. From here we race further north to Nova Scotia, then on again close to the Flemish Cap, across the North Atlantic into Derry, the Netherlands and then a sprint to the finish line in Southampton. Our team are representing “Edinburgh Inspiring Capital” and we comprise of seven different nationalities.
I joined the Ambulance service in 2008, having spent a number of years working in Ireland and abroad through different sectors ofthe Veterinaryindustry. I was lucky enough to find opportunity along the way that allowed me to combine the Veterinary Profession with areas of employment that were maybe not so main stream, some of the best bit’s I recall as time spent with the Flying Veterinary Service andworking with wildlife and Marine life in many different countries around the world. So, maybe it’s no surprise that I saw the potential that comes with this race, as in addition to your crew duties, each team also requires individuals with suitable backgrounds to assume management roles on board, one of those being the role of “Medic”. I saw this as a very unique opportunity to bring my Paramedic skills into an offshore ocean racing environment and so having applied for this additional role, I was thrilled to be offered the position. A very unique aspect to our teams composition is that some of our crew are part of an organ transplant relay team and are individuals who have either donated or received organs. All of us have had to prove ourselves medically fit to take part but, these individuals have had a bigger mountain to climb to get through the process. Also, some of our crew are the surgeons who performed the transplants. Over the last two years oftraining and 1,500 nautical miles of racing, I’ve gone through afull complement of shore based and offshore training programmes which deliver both practical experience and theoretical assessments. We run a two watch system that operates 24 hours a day as four hours on, four hours off.
Life on board as the medic came with a steep learning curve, traumatic injuries of every conceivable type were ever present, dehydration, hypothermia, hyperthermia, sea-sickness, collapse due to fatigue, head injuries, falling below decks through an open or unsecured hatch, man overboards, these are all issues that have presented themselves on board since my training began. Safety on board is a pre requisite. However vigilant and safety conscious the crew are, the potential to sustain an injury or illness on board is ever present, and when extreme weather conditions are factored into the equation it presents a very challenging environment to work in. |
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We carry an extensive medical kit on board, most of this is medication sub divided into different categories to cater for Cardiac, Respiratory, Anaphylaxsis, etc., also fluid therapy, pain relief, suture kits, resus, etc. Essentially, a full complement of medication to cater for a variety of potential injury and illness on board. All of this is compiled and organised for quick access and secured in water tight storage containers. The range of medical kit also reflects the availability of storage space on board and the need to eliminate any un necessary additional weight which might restrict the ability of a 68ft Ocean Racing Yacht to race as hard and fast as it can.
Therefore, spinal boards become floor boards, sail ties become speed straps, towels become head blocks and a sail bag becomes a method of securing a C-spined patient before attaching a halyard (rope) and winching them through a narrow, steep companion way below deck. Utilising pieces of sailing equipment or parts of the boat allows you the ability to provide a substitute for those pieces of equipment that cannot come on board.
We have two hospital bunks in the crew quarters. Both are positioned mid ships (in the middle of the boat) purposely so because this on a good day is the most stable part of the boat. They’re also accessible from both sides (starboard and port side) as the boat will always sail heeled over to one side or the other. These bunks also double as stretchers so, if necessary the patient can be carried off, if circumstances allow it. Since the race began last July, news so far have reported a number of medivac’s due to injuries sustained by crew members representing a selection of teams in extreme weather conditions. Most of these have been femur fracture’s, fractured clavicles, dislocations, head injuries and one individual who sustained five fractured ribs and a pnumothorax. Thankfully,all have or are recovering from their injuries and some have re-joined the race. This demonstrates a very real potential for injury in this type of environment where no one is exempt.
Having said all of the above, although this is most definitely a serious business, the one thing you must not arrive without is a sense of humour. There have been many hilarious moments on board, some of which will always remain on board! but, for now I’ll leave you with just one example of this. In the middle of a night shift in rough seas, while crew members were frantically attempting to pump out the water that was beginning to flood below decks, a comment was made “mother of god, the water’s up past my ankles” to which the reply was “don’t worry, it’s not officially a man overboard until you’ve floated over the side”
Follow the race on;
www.clipperroundtheworld.com
Niamh Byrne,
HSE Ambulance Service Paramedic.
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