Injuries occur from time to time on all yachts. There have been a few bruises to date and peg legs are beginning to suffer the effects of salt water. Especially when they get soaked on the foredeck. Believe me when you get salt water between your skin and artificial limb, life becomes extremely uncomfortable.

Paul Burns has a large steel plate in one arm to hold the bones together that never quite healed. He also has a large scar running from his elbow halfway down his arm towards his wrist. A couple of days ago he fell landing on the steel plate and opening the scar which poured out a significant amount of blood. Skipper Colin, got the med kit out and using medical 'Super Glue', pushed the scar together and glued it. The cut was sealed almost immediately, Paul was bandaged up and dispatched to go about his duties.

Some may worry about the pain he suffered, or the outlook. At this point I should point out that he is an ex-paratrooper. It is a well know fact that going past the pain threshold is part and parcel of their day to day lives.

Over the last couple of days, we have done a lot of windward sailing with fairly strong winds. We are getting a lot of 'this wasn't in the brochure comments'.

The BLESM Spirit of Juno Crew are wet, tired, but still grinning, or is that a grimace....

Brendan West
Yachting World, 28 November 2005