Diving Medicine in the Maldives
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||
Expedition Medicine’s University Liaison, Dr Nick Knight writes about his work with the Ocean Rowing Teams record Indian Ocean attempt
A team of four university friends from the South of England are attempting a record-breaking expedition across the Indian Ocean this summer. They are being supported on land by Expedition Medicine’s University Liaison, Dr Nick Knight who is their research coordinator, trainer and nutritionist.
The team is planning to row the 3100 miles from Australia to Mauritius in less than 68 days, 19 hours and 40 minutes – the fastest ever crossing time for a 4s boat.
Starting out in Geraldton, Western Australia the crossing will finish on the island of Mauritius and with only eleven boats having so far successfully completed the crossing, the adventure will be tough. The expedition will see the four man crew suffer extreme fatigue, mental stress and intense isolation. They risk crippling sores and the countless dangers involved in crossing a great Ocean in a small open craft. The adventurers will have minimal help from winds and currents, so will need to row in 2 hour shifts for 24 hours a day for almost ten weeks to complete their mission.
Diving and Marine Medicine course an overwhelming success
Expedition Medicines recent Diving and Marine Medicine course in the Maldives was judged by all to be a outstanding success – even this grazing Hawksbill Turtle seemed to get something out of it!
video by Dr Rob Conway
New Diving and Marine Medicine location – Maldives, Indian Ocean.
Diving Medicine Training Course in the Maldives
Diving Medicine Training Course in the Maldives
Diving and Marine Medicine Training Course – Indian Ocean
3 – 9 OCTOBER 2010 ABOARD THE LIVEABOARD MV ARI QUEEN, THE MALDIVES
Expedition Medicine are very excited at being able to offer an inspirational course for all those medical professionals responsible for clients or expedition team members in a diving or marine environment.
This is a 6 day course, aiming to give participants an understanding of conditions likely to occur whilst working as a doctor on a diving expedition. Topics covered will include pre-expedition medicals, diving-related illness, marine envenomation, emergency treatments and casevac plans. Practical sessions include boat handling, search & rescue and underwater communications. There will be at least 2 dives a day, including a night dive and hopefully a visit to the hyperbaric chamber on Kuramathi Island – the largest facility in the Maldives. At the end of the week, participants should feel confident to act as medical officer on a diving expedition, or in any UK diving medical practice. Read the ‘What to Expect’ section below to get more of an idea of what the course entails.
MINIMUM COURSE REQUIREMENTS
All participants are expected to at least have a PADI Open Water qualification (or equivalent) with a minimum of 10 dives. Ideally participants should have PADI Advance Open Water qualification (or equivalent) as we will be doing some current diving. Conditions are dependent on dive sites, currents and times of year. If your qualification is not recent we recommend you complete at least 2 or 3 refresher dives before the course so that you get the most out of the fantastic diving the Maldives offers.
If the group is mixed, the dives will be split into 2 groups, so that each group is diving to its own ability.
PARTICIPANTS MUST BRING WITH THEM THEIR DIVE QUALIFICATION CERTIFICATES AND LOG BOOKS AS PROOF OF DIVING QUALIFICATIONS.
The Diving And Marine Medicine Course is accredited for FAWM points but we are waiting for confirmation of these as the Diving medicine course has moved to a new location.
Sarah Outen – makes it with a little help from EWM!! The first Britian to row in the India Ocean and the first female ever!
Sarah Outen in a breathtaking achievement and with a little help in terms of support and training from Expedition and Wilderness Medicine has successfully become the first Britian and the first woman ever to row across the Indian Ocean and the youngest woman to solo any ocean- massive congratulations to her from us
A very exciting, record-breaking, and ever so slightly crazy sort of challenge. It involved my little boat, the Indian Ocean and lots of chocolate. April Fools Day 2009 I set out from Western Australia in a bid to become the first woman to row solo across this ocean. 124 days later after 4,000 miles, having eaten all my chocolate, faced storms and mid-ocean capzies , I landed in Mauritius. It was raw and elemental – just as adventure should be.
Find out more about Sarah’s epic row at http://www.sarahouten.co.uk or donate online via JustGiving
Landing at the end of the record breaking row
Solo across the Indian Ocean
A very exciting, record-breaking, and ever so slightly crazy sort of challenge. It involves a small boat, some oars and over 3,000 miles of Indian Ocean.
Sarah Outen | Row the Indian Ocean
Expedition Medicine has recently been approached by a great British explorer maybe read ‘eccentric’ in the making, Sarah Outen who plans, in memory of here rather to row single handed across the Indian Ocean in 2009. Sarah has asked us to provide a tailored medical training course designed specifically around her needs which we are happy to do.
But so inspired by her challenge are we that we are also offering ongoing support and provide a regular feature on her progress through our regular Enews – if you don’t receive it yet you can sign up by clicking here, and also via this blog – so watch this space…
…a bit more detail, in Sarah’s own words,
In Spring 2009 I will row solo from Western Australia to Mauritius in a bid to become the first woman, and youngest and fastest person, to make the crossing.
Rowing up to 12 hours a day under a scorching sun, riding 30ft waves, battling winds and currents, sharks, capsizes and shipping traffic, it will be a test of endurance, stamina and my sense of humour. It will be raw and elemental – just as adventure should be.
it’s not all about the records
The venture is dedicated to my lovely Dad, who died suddenly in June 2006. He had suffered terribly with rheumatoid arthritis for as long as I can remember, so in his memory I am fundraising for the Arthritis Research Campaign.
A biologist and outdoor enthusiast, I love the creatures to be found at sea and want to encourage others to appreciate them, too. After all, what we love, we save. My journey will be a green one, as far as possible, and aims to encourage responsible stewardship of our planet, especially of the blue stuff.