Carry A First Aid Kit
Posted: Fri Jul 19, 2013 11:47 am
About 5 years ago, when I was just getting started kayak fishing, I was wading and stepped into some very soft muck. My leg went down in right up to my knee. As my leg went down in I could feel it being gouged by oyster shell and as I pulled it out it got gouged again. I was bleeding pretty good, but luckily was not too far for the launch. I made it back to the launch and wrapped my leg in a towel I had in the car. I got home safe if not completely sound.
I didn't have a first aid kit with me that day, but soon got one to carry with me when I fish. I haven't needed that kit until yesterday. While tarpon fishing alone (not a good idea) I was bringing my right hand forward to grab my fishing rod when I felt a sharp pain in my thumb. I looked down at my thumb and bold was running off it like someone had opened a faucet. Without really thinking about it I stuck my bleeding thumb in my mouth. With my tong I could feel that there was a good size gash in my thumb.
Next I looked to see what had cut my thumb. I carry a Kershaw folding knife with me when I fish. I carry it clipped to the right strap on my seat. That way it is in easy reach and is always in the same place. I looked down at the knife and there was the blade in the full up and locked position. Something must have caught on the little thumb opening stud and swung the blade into the locked position.
Now to tend to that thumb. My first aid kit is in a plastic box in my fishing crate and and all the supplies are in plastic baggies. It really takes two hands to open the box, open the baggies and get out the supplies. Every time I took my thumb out of my mouth blood went everywhere. First I tried a band aid. Ever tried to open a band aid with one hand? I couldn't do it and when I tried to use the other hand everything got covered in blood. Next I got out a gauze pad. Held the package in my teeth, tore open the package and got out the pad. I could see immediately that one pad was not going to do it. I kept adding pads and holding them in place by closing my thumb in my hand. I knew I had to get some pressure on it if I was going to get the bleeding stopped so once I got 4 gauze pads on it I just squeezed it my hand. After some times passed I opened my hand and carefully removed the blood soaked pads. The bleeding had almost stopped. I threw the bloody pad in the bottom of the kayak and put 3 fresh ones on and closed my hand on my thumb again.
I know I should have started thinking about how I was going to get back to the beach, but I had not been fishing in three weeks and Shamus had had a great morning the day before. So I set about figuring out how I could keep fishing. The first aid kit originally had a small roll of tape in it, but some time previously I had removed it to use on something and had not replaced it. I finally figured out how to open a couple band aids and wrapped them over and around the gauze. So I sat there holding my thumb for another hour or so and never saw an f***ing tarpon. When I got back to the beach my kayak and my clothes looked like I had slaughtered a pig out there. Again I got home safe if not completely sound.
Please do yourself a favor and learn from my stupidity. Get a water proof basic first aid kit and carry it with you in your kayak. You never know when something really stupid and unexpected is going to happen to you or one of your fishing buddies.
Here is a big thumbs up for first aid kits!
I didn't have a first aid kit with me that day, but soon got one to carry with me when I fish. I haven't needed that kit until yesterday. While tarpon fishing alone (not a good idea) I was bringing my right hand forward to grab my fishing rod when I felt a sharp pain in my thumb. I looked down at my thumb and bold was running off it like someone had opened a faucet. Without really thinking about it I stuck my bleeding thumb in my mouth. With my tong I could feel that there was a good size gash in my thumb.
Next I looked to see what had cut my thumb. I carry a Kershaw folding knife with me when I fish. I carry it clipped to the right strap on my seat. That way it is in easy reach and is always in the same place. I looked down at the knife and there was the blade in the full up and locked position. Something must have caught on the little thumb opening stud and swung the blade into the locked position.
Now to tend to that thumb. My first aid kit is in a plastic box in my fishing crate and and all the supplies are in plastic baggies. It really takes two hands to open the box, open the baggies and get out the supplies. Every time I took my thumb out of my mouth blood went everywhere. First I tried a band aid. Ever tried to open a band aid with one hand? I couldn't do it and when I tried to use the other hand everything got covered in blood. Next I got out a gauze pad. Held the package in my teeth, tore open the package and got out the pad. I could see immediately that one pad was not going to do it. I kept adding pads and holding them in place by closing my thumb in my hand. I knew I had to get some pressure on it if I was going to get the bleeding stopped so once I got 4 gauze pads on it I just squeezed it my hand. After some times passed I opened my hand and carefully removed the blood soaked pads. The bleeding had almost stopped. I threw the bloody pad in the bottom of the kayak and put 3 fresh ones on and closed my hand on my thumb again.
I know I should have started thinking about how I was going to get back to the beach, but I had not been fishing in three weeks and Shamus had had a great morning the day before. So I set about figuring out how I could keep fishing. The first aid kit originally had a small roll of tape in it, but some time previously I had removed it to use on something and had not replaced it. I finally figured out how to open a couple band aids and wrapped them over and around the gauze. So I sat there holding my thumb for another hour or so and never saw an f***ing tarpon. When I got back to the beach my kayak and my clothes looked like I had slaughtered a pig out there. Again I got home safe if not completely sound.
Please do yourself a favor and learn from my stupidity. Get a water proof basic first aid kit and carry it with you in your kayak. You never know when something really stupid and unexpected is going to happen to you or one of your fishing buddies.
Here is a big thumbs up for first aid kits!
Wish they would make a bottle of the stuff. Although that little plastic pack will fit in any Rx kit.