Is There a Doctor Aboard? || Cruising World
If you’re preparing for a visit to the Caribbean, or any offshore haul, it’s important to know your medical options—and have a plan.
By David H. Lyman
March 21, 2024
When sailing in remote areas, clear communication is essential for requesting crucial medical assistance. Erwin Barbé/stock.adobe.com
An incident last fall got me thinking. A yacht on its way from the East Coast to the Caribbean had a crew member fall ill. The cause was unknown to those on board. They called the rally’s shoreside support team from their Sat phone, but the team was unable and unqualified to deal with that specific medical situation. The crew member died.
With more and more older folks taking to sea on small boats, many on extended offshore voyages far from medical facilities, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have some means for accessing medical advice? A cell phone with WiFi access, Single Sideband (SSB), a smartphone or even a texting device like the Garmin InReach makes this possible. Still, a question remains: Which provider should you use?