Scottish anchorages

In what seems like a hundred years ago when I arrived to do a single-handed GP locum in Tongue on the north coast of Scotland I asked the soon to be going on holiday GP what in particular I needed to know - fish hooks and midge bites he replied:
- to get a fish hook out of the skin, often of the face, get the ship's pliers and cut the shank so you can then pull out the barbed end forwards as it were as well and then the tail end backwards. Do not - repeat not - try and pull the whole thing out backwards!
- for itchy midge bites antihistamine cream and smear it on (he had a very large tub of the stuff). Mind you midges are seldom if ever a problem at anchor, provided you don't anchor in summer on a calm night right under trees.

In Scotland you dial 999 for emergency medical care if you are in mobile range. For other less urgent things phone NHS 24 08454 24 24 24 which is the equivalent of NHS Direct in England. They will give you appropriate advice, but sometimes they do take their time. Of course at sea and out of mobile range there is the ever helpful coastguard on chanel 16.

For doing your own thing you will need in your medicine chest, which should be in a watertight box of some sort: 
  Pain killers (paracetamol, aspirin, brufen/ibuprofen)
  Antiemetics (ie anti sea sickness stuff) - cinnarizine (stugeron) tablets, or hyoscine (scopaderm) patches seem to be the favourites
  Triangular bandage
  Crepe bandages
  Menolin dressings
  Micropore tape
  Waterproof elastoplast
  Cotton wool
  Gauze swabs
  Steristrips to hold minor cuts together
  Electrolyte solution for oral rehydration
  Antihistamine cream
  Sunblock and lipblock (yes, even in Scotland)

How much minor surgery you want to do is up to you, but if you are competent take some sutures, local anaesthetic, syringes and green needles, artery forceps, scalpels, tweezers which have many other uses, and scissors (as well as the boat scissors). I wouldn't try a general anaesthetic if I were you, but the more adventurous doctor, nurse or paramedic could take a face mask and oropharyngeal tube maybe. Not sure if you can get battery powered cardiac defibrillators.

Mal de mer, also known as sea sickness. A vile problem for some, never a problem for others. As with all medical disorders this must be partly nature (your mum had it) and partly nurture (your mum vomiting up gave you ideas of doing the same). It can be avoided by sticking to the canals and - at least in part:
 
  Do not go down below when at sea if at all possible, if you do then lie down in a warm and comfortable berth as near the centre of the boat and as low down as
  possible, close your eyes and go to sleep
  Take stugeron or apply scopaderm patches before you set off, but beware drowsiness
  Do not expect to be sick, look at the horizon, keep warm
  Some find dry biscuits help, rusk-like things, Bath Olivers if you are posh
  If you are apprehensive, say about the cruise, this will make sea sickness worse

If you do get sick:
 
  Go down below, lie down, get warm, use a bucket, go to sleep - if you possibly can, and pray for landfall
  Don't get dehydrated - small sips of what you fancy, frequently
  Vomit over the lee side please (that is the downhill side)

If you do fall into the sea: and are alone, to conserve heat cross your arms across your chest and tuck your knees up under your chin (much easier if you're wearing a buoyancy aid). If you're with two or more others then huddle together in a circle facing inwards so that the sides of the bodies are close together (may not work in rough seas and could just crash you into each other).

Cuts at sea are common and don't heal well if exposed to salt water every day. To minimise the risk of infection wash the wound in fresh water and protect as
best as possible with plasters/micropore etc. Also if you have the know-how, suturing (or a steristrip) makes a cut waterproof and less prone to infection.