As stated by good Capt Howard the sea ice had built up on deck making the conditions outside a slippery mess. The shot line had been deployed and secured to the wreck, my job was to hook the buoy and stern tie it to the port cleat. As i was reaching to the buoy, (name changed to protect the innocent, or in this case to protect the guilty!!!) Capt Ftan thought it would be Funny to push me further over the side as i reached to the buoy with the hook. Again yesterdays conditions were not for the meek, or inexperienced but totally acceptable for those T.U.E. on this trip. As i felt myself beginning to slide on the sea ice towards the icy waters of the cold Atlantic, I pulled back on the boat hook driving the butt of the hook into the side of the hull!!!!! unfortunately the second finger of my left hand was in the way..... After the finger strike occurred i can not remember clearly what followed - I do remember allot, ALLOT of yelling and Bright Red Blood spraying all over the deck!!!!!! - somehow this T.U.E completed his duty and retrieved the buoy just as the pain became so great he had to sit down......
Now some of you reading this may find this amusing.... usually these are the sick people who like to see road kills and even repeatably run them over with their cars......
All I can say is this, its all fun and games until someone looses an eye, or in this case a finger
As of this writing the finger is immobilized and is throbbing like a .....(i will let you fill in the next two words), on the dorsal surface there is a deep laceration.
i would like to thank all that expressed concern for my well being and urge all reading this not to be to critical on Capt Ftan's actions. He was just kidding around but that is how accidents do occur... I am sure it is a lesson well learned...
As to the identity of the first wreck dove it will have to wait until the inshore vis clears a bit - i can say this, it was wooden, old and feeling very promising....
that is all
i remain
the bartman-mosb
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