Things that go bump in the night and hurt - Tuesday, 28th June

Well, mishaps happen. When in rough weather, one takes care and accidents rarely happen. They happen in calm or when stationary and complacent. Wendy took a tumble. Having had dinner in the cockpit, it was now dark with no lights on. Taking a few things down below, missed a step and fell back splat, hitting the back of my head on the corner of the saloon table. (Must have hit the front somehow too as have a nice bump and bruise on left temple). Clutching head, Richard rushes down, says not to move. Thinks I have broken glass and impaled myself on it. Take hand away from head, blood everywhere. Now anyone who has had a head wound will know they bleed and bleed.

Nothing for it but to put head in sink, wash with shower head. Big gash, 1+ inch long. R wants to shave head and considers hospital for stitching. We settle for cutting hair round it. R tries Steri-strips, pretty useless, then pads and sticking plasters. At least he didn't get out his fine fishing line and barbless hook to stitch it up himself. A couple of hours and it is still seeping, but slowing. Having established that I am not going to keel over on him, R's only preoccupation is now that I do not bleed all over the pillows in the night. Makes me bind up head and cover things.

Can't afford to lose many more grey cells. Seems to be one left though. So now it's a fetching bald patch, having left plaster for 24 hrs, managed to soak it off and all is slowly healing. But it's silly hat time out in the midday sun! And a reminder, when you are only two up on a boat and a long way from home, to take care.