Three Wise Monkeys' Guide to Adventure

"Life is a ball in the hands of chance." - The South Pole, Roald Amundsen 

What are we watching?

On the recommendation of flight/ER nurse and BMG instructor Vanessa Holzmann, we’ve been geeking out on Ninja Nerd. Want to learn about shock, seizures, cellular biology, or a whole lot of other medical phenomenons? Enjoy exploring the Nerd Ninja YouTube channel for endless lessons that dive into the types, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of numerous injuries and diseases. Who knew chemistry and physiology could be fun. Okay, maybe fun is an overstatement. How about easily understood? 

What are we listening to?

WFR student and recent nursing school graduate, Amy Yurus was confronted by a situation on the dock of a Wednesday night club sail that no one ever wants to experience.  Another sailor had collapsed in a dinghy and needed CPR.  Without bystander intervention, the patient would have died.  In an interview in Episode 33 of the Health Matters Podcast, Amy and the other participants recount the details on how they recognized the need for help, their actions, and those initial steps we teach in scene size up and initial assessment.  Amy is now an ER nurse at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, CA and instructor for BMG.

What are we reading?

A Voyage For Madmen by Peter Nichols - This book is a must-read for any mariner or history nerd. Peter Nichols chronicles the 1968 race to be the first person to single handedly sail around the world nonstop with impressive detail and insight only a veteran sailor could provide. Following each of the nine sailors who found themselves in the race, and who each had a very different fate, we learn about the many circumstances that can inspire someone to risk everything, the madness (or sanity) that can come from months of solitude at sea, and the lengths some will go to for the sake of their own ego. For those who have done the majority of their sailing in times with GPS and detailed weather forecasts, being immersed in the era of chart navigation, telegrams, and newspaper clippings serves as a reminder to the often forgotten challenges that accompanied maritime exploration only a half century ago. While only one boat actually completes the race, every sailor’s story has its own dosage of admiration, insanity, heartbreak, and wisdom—all the result of chasing true adventure.

What are your new discoveries?  Any recommendations to share?  Leave us a comment below.