Life as a Medic
Date: 26.03.2023
Author: Elizabeth
Position: North Atlantic
Nautical Position: 40°43.4´N 025°52.8´W
Etmal: 12467 NM
Ship: Pelican of London
Though many people suspect that as a Medic you sit around a lot and well… have a lot of free time to do whatever you want, that is not the case, at least not entirely. On my first day as a Medic I was quite busy.
Starting with the preparation of the workshop that I´m going to hold on Monday (don’t tell anyone but it’s going to be on burns). Then, as fate would have it, we had a few small injuries.
There is a phenomenon to observe around this time of the voyage were people start to get a bit careless around the ship, which in some cases leads to injuries like trapped fingers, burns from ropes and, also very common, slipping and falling down. All of those incidents need to be reported and/or treated.
The number one priority is to keep everyone healthy and happy. With the happy part it’s not always that easy. We´ve all been on this ship for a long time and more or less adjusted to the daily routines but with the handovers these routines changed and well, that’s to be frank quite exhausting for us and the permanent crew.
Also, a lot of us are getting more and more anxious to go home and although we’re almost there, this last bit is taking its toll from us. I must say that im very touched by the trust the others have given me so far. So when someone gets hurt, ideally they come and get me.
I take a look at the injury and take care of it the best I can. After that I have to keep record of the incident: What happened to whom, what kind of injury was it and how I treated it.
The thing About Pelican
Living on a sailing ship is special. You get a sleeping schedule which is all kind of messed up. You have to fight for your food, especially the desserts. On watch you have to stay on the bridge for four hours, no matter how bad the weather is. Going to the toilet and taking a shower become a workout and let’s not even start talking about the Galley or cleaning anything.
You are away from your loved ones and your usual, let’s be honest, easy life. Now here’s the thing about Pelican: Life on here is exhausting and all kinds of miserable but being here with all those amazing people and getting to see so many different places and cultures makes all the bad parts worth it.
When I think of all the things I’ve done and seen these past six months, I’m truly amazed……. We all came on Pelican as strangers, frightened and excited at the same time of what’s to come.
I was really lost at the beginning, going home early seemed not that far off to me… but then, one day, when I went into my cabin to have a good cry, one of my cabin mates sat there already crying. I just sat in front of her and joined. And you know what? It was so relieving and freeing to see that I wasn’t the only one struggling and wanting to go home.
On that day the two of us promised that we at last make it through the first Atlantic crossing. (Now here we are on the second one). Without my cabin mate this voyage wouldn’t have been the same. Thank you.
And that’s the thing about Pelican: Life may be shit at times but you’re not alone on this journey and there is always someone around to help you with anything. On this journey you find yourself a family to fight for (and with), to climb mountains with and get lost, to build a sweat lodge in the rainforest and to sit in your bunk and watch movies.
I don’t know about you but that sounds pretty good to me despite all the other not so pretty parts. When I think of the end, it’s not just sad. I get to see my parents again and all those other family members waiting for me. And deep down I know that we all will see each other again, things will be different, we will be different but not with each other.
Life has thrown many things at us and we as a team handled them beautifully, chaotic but beautifully. We got to grow with each other to become better and stronger and for that I’m so thankful.
So, yes – I will miss this ship and my people like hell but coming home and showing everyone one what I accomplished with my team is worth it.
To Guther
To you I owe special thanks.
You’ve been there from me whenever I needed you.
Since day one you held me.
You took every I couldn’t keep in me.
So that I could feel better.
No one else but you could have handled that.
All that’s left to say is.
Thank you.
Greetings from…
Elizabeth: Best wishes to Mama, Papa, David and Valerie. Miss you and see you soon.
Amelie, I also miss you and I’m really excited to go to Hamburg.
Dear Iva, love you and miss you much. Be a nice girl – see you soon. xoxo
Caro: Handover tomorrow, I will try to not sink the ship…but if it does, I will prove that Jack would have also fitted on the door in Titanic. Only problem is that I volunteered to be Jack, but being Captain, I have no option but to go down with the ship…
