Sunday 23 August 2015

Lock Accident

 

IMG_4207With number one Granddaughter Curly back in Devon we pulled pins from Market Drayton and headed North on The Shropshire union canal. As you pass through there is a pill box next to bridge  62. They were called pill boxes because they resembled the small boxes that pills were sold in many years ago.

IMG_4218What a proud looking chap standing guard on the bow of this Narrowboat.

IMG_4228A few miles out of Market Drayton and we reach the 5 locks at Adderley with Carolyn on lock wheeling duty as usual…

IMG_4229All was going well until we got to lock 4. Carolyn had opened one of the two bottom gates for me to leave the lock after it had emptied and then walked back behind me to cross over the top gate to open the other bottom gate. I looked behind to see her lying on the ground, so being a blogger and having my camera next to me I took a picture. What I didn't realise at the time was in fact she was unconscious. She had stepped off the lock gate and twisted her ankle, the pain was so great that she passed out. After climbing out of the lock I put her into the recovery position and within a minute or two she came around but was in a lot pain and could not stand on her foot .It was mid morning and usually there would be lots of people around on the flight of locks, but just our luck and there was nobody around to help us ,so I filled the lock back up so Inca was level with her and somehow got her back on board.

We then dropped down onto the moorings below the locks and had a hot drink and dosed Carolyn up with paracetamol and Ibuprofen. She now has a swollen and very black ankle but is otherwise OK. We will have to spend a day or two here before moving on again and it looks like I will be on lock wheeling duty for some time to come.

It just shows how easily accidents can happen around locks and it was a good job she never fell back into the lock or lock pound. It also highlights why the steerer should always keep a watchful eye on their crew members at all times when locking.

                                                                                                      Happy (sore) Days

10 comments:

  1. didn't like seeing Carolyn lying there like that. pleased she is going on ok xxxx

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  2. Oh no, poor Carolyn, sprains are extremely painful.
    Elevate her leg, then wrap a tea-towel around a bag of frozen peas and place it on her ankle.
    If it doesn't improve maybe it would be wise to get the Dr to check that nothing's broken.
    Ann x

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  3. Hi Gary, I agree with Ann's comment above. RICE is the acronym: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. If you are near a pharmacy, go and get her a compression bandage/ankle strapping tomorrow. They will also probably have gel bags that you can freeze and reuse - although the frozen peas are excellent!
    Hope she feels better soon. Good thing you knew what to do, and as you say, we do need to keep a good eye on our crew at the locks, eh?
    Cheers, Marilyn

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  4. Ooch !! Not good news, get well soon Carolyn take care . Quite a shock I'm sure.
    Ade

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  5. I am so sorry to heat that Carolyn has had such a nasty accident - it was indeed very fortuitous that she did not fall in the lock. Having had a fall into the canal in April when I was working as a VLK I now understand the need for life jackets - mine was very much appreciated at the time and we both wear them a lot more than we did! Get well soon Carolyn.

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  6. Hope Caroline is recovering just bring back curly to look after you both
    Elaine and Peter nb maple

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  7. Oh dear, get well soon Carolyn, xx , Chris

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  8. Poor carolyn..make sure u pamper her gary..take care.. pam & terry xx

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  9. Our hopes and wishes for a speedy recovery for Carolyn. Sorry for her injury, but it serves as a reminder to all of us to watch out for each other.

    Aloha, Amos and Charlene

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  10. Here's to a speedy recovery Carolyn. Accidents happen as I am aware from six weeks ago. Don't rush to get back on your feet before the time is right. Take care

    Pip and Mick nblillyanne.wordpress.com

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