August 16, 2022
Today reminded me why experienced long-distance cruisers advise to go cruising when you’re young. It was a full “doctor day” for things that needed to be checked, fixed, or medically anticipated before an eight-month cruise. I had a weird mark on my arm that, given my impatience for regularly applying sunscreen, worried me a little. So, off to the dermatologist for a good full body scan, a little ear zap of liquid nitrogen and reassurance that the mark on my arm was nothing, just age related (ouch)! Next off to the dentist for the installation of a new crown. I heard a big “pop” when chewing something hard on a Bermuda race training sail three months prior and did what every good sailor does in such a circumstance. I wasn’t in any immediate pain so I ignored it till half of that tooth broke clean-off at breakfast a few weeks ago. Now with less than two months to go before the cruise south I needed a major piece of dental work. Not smart and lesson learned. The final medical piece of the day was a Zoom call with a doctor from a company called Duration Health that provides tailor-made RX medical kits. I have a current and fully supplied offshore medical kit to cover about any medical contingency, but when days away from any professional medical help it seems prudent to supplement that kit with certain prescribed medications to deal with things that only they will treat. The process and interview were easy and extremely valuable. My kit of contingency RX prescribed medications is on its way.
Based on today, the long-distance cruisers advise is solid. Go cruising as soon as you can before things start to spontaneously break or make you think they might sometime soon!