Not as we planned

 

After the pit bull attack in Grenada

Ready for our flights out of Grenada

Flying away...

 

S/Y Aspen – May 28, 2022 – Log #184

Aspen Position: 12 degrees 00’ N, 61 degrees 00’ W

Prickly Bay, Grenada, Caribbean and Colorado

  

Not as we planned

 

Our departure from sunny Grenada, after securing Aspen for hurricane season, didn’t quite go as we planned.

 

Captain Steve was attacked on his daily run, by a vicious pit bull dog the day before we flew off the island. 

 

The dog surprised Steve.   

 

There was the devil dog, standing in the middle of Dusty Highway at the dawn of a new day, around a blind corner.  The dog was right in front of Steve before he saw him.

 

Suddenly, realizing there was no escape from the lunging, hateful dog, Steve sprinted past the beast only to trip and fall, hitting a tall, solid and large concrete curb, during his getaway.

 

But his sprint took him out of the dog’s protective area, so Steve was never mauled or bitten by the pit bull.

 

The tall concrete curb did all the damage:

·      7 broken bones in his face requiring triage in Grenada, followed by 4 hours of delicate, painful face surgery in Denver

·      Broken clavicle (9 mm clean break).  Grenada doctor used tape to stabilize the bone and permit Steve to fly.

·      Lacerations to Steve’s face requiring 20 stitches/sutures to stop the blood flow in Grenada and make him look horrific for the flight to Colorado.

·      Two black eyes

 

All this happened 5 days ago, with our flights scheduled for the day after the attack; how lucky was that?   

 

Yes, it was a horrific ordeal to put Maria through: airports, flights and trying to keep Steve from becoming a DNF (Did not finish) on this ultimate journey seeking expert medical attention, capping off an epic year of sailing and adventure.

 

The outcome would have been much worse if our dear dear friends, Dawn and Laurie in Grenada, Cool Running Apartment staff, Zach in Colorado and neighbors Art and Liz.  It would not have been as successful without them.

 

I’m alive and hope to keep living, to tell the tale.

 

Sail on, sail on Aspen… 

 

Steve and Maria