Ready for anything in the thick of racing action

By ALAN PERROTT

Crushed ribs, seasickness and the best seat in the house are all part of a day's work for St John's man on the water, Carey Dobbs.

The 42-year-old marine paramedic has been on the Hauraki Gulf for most of the Louis Vuitton Cup racing.

His 8m Protector RIB can be seen motoring 150m behind the yachts.

"It's been a career highlight I'd say, a real oncer," said Mr Dobbs, who is also co-ordinator of the St John Special Emergency Response Team. The marine ambulance is crewed eight hours a day by a rotating team made up of two full-time paramedics and a small group of volunteers.

They are available to assist any of the 3000 boats expected to visit the race course throughout the regatta.

Mr Dobbs' boat is usually first out to the racing area and last to leave, regardless of whether racing goes ahead or not.

"Luckily I don't get seasick. We've been out in some pretty dodgy weather so we've had plenty of opportunity to get crook. Our boat's not that big."

While they spend most of their time focused on the racing, the ambulance has also helped rescue overboard sailors and pulled boats off rocks.

The only real dramas for Mr Dobbs and his crew so far have been a grinder with crushed hands, another with broken ribs, and a racing official who needed stitches after taking a spill.

As an enthusiast, he loves being so close to the action.

"It's been wonderful, especially the starts.

"We go into the starting box as well and they've chased us around a few times. It's fantastic to be close enough to hear the boats creaking and groaning when they go under real pressure."

Mr Dobbs is picking Alinghi to beat Oracle.

It's not quite so dramatic for his onshore offsider, Adam Johnston, who is based at the Viaduct Basin next to the Telecom tent.

With the large numbers of people walking around the basin it's no surprise that most injuries he has treated have been blisters, minor wounds and lacerations.

But Mr Johnston's clinic is still equipped to handle extreme cases with a cardiac defribrillator and resuscitation equipment on hand.

The clinic is open daily from 8am to 6pm and has an emergency phone outside.


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