The Ship Captains Medical First Aid course is mind-blowing. It is delivered in two parts over nine days in a classroom at Hamble school of yachting, near Southampton and by day three we were mentally exhausted.

We spent four intense days studying part 1 with wonderful retired nurse Sue Johnson learning all about dealing with medical emergencies at sea and we were awarded a certificate in first aid. Many of the students continued on for an additional five days to be awarded the higher certificate permitting intravenous injections and narcotics to be allowed to be securely carried on board!

Thanks to Sue's fantastic collection of gruesome photos and her well stocked kit we learnt so much and feel much safer on land and at sea. And thanks to her husdand Andy (below) as well for being our live casualty to practice on :-)

We met some great people on the course (Brendan (left), Derrick (right), Mark, Ellen, Rob, Andy, and Rupert) who carried on to complete part 2, good luck guys.

Lucky escape

The amount of information over the first four days was mind blowing and more than enough for us so we are now safely home and plan to do part 2 next year!!