Emergency at sea

On Saturday evening our neighboring boat captain, Glen on a Canadian boat called Denicia, called us on the VHF radio to say that he was having heart problems with a severe chest pain. This was in the middle of the Coral Sea, 500 nautical miles from the nearest land. We used our satellite phone to talk to Australian search and rescue which culminated in a plane coming out to visit us the following evening at dusk. They dropped 2 heavy barrels with medication and a satellite phone attached to a 400 metre rope. Originally it was thought that Glen had strained a back muscle but after talking with a doctor he came to the terrible conclusion that he would require blood thinning medicine.

There were 2 cannisters that were dropped off and these were so heavy that they required 2 people to lift them.