It was on a Friday night about eight o'clock when we arrived back at our barge on Thorpe Island. Peter said to me that the tide is right to move our workbarge through and under the bridge from the back of the island.
I stepped to get on to the barge and suddenly my leg gave way,the ground beneath me had fell into the water. I could not get up, my left leg was trapped between the quay heading and the piling and a 6" nail imbedded in my leg just below the knee. This was attached to the quay heading also, I felt my knee and felt that the nail had gone in downwards and not straight through. Peter went to get a phone, and I sent a friend 'Scott' to ask Peter for something cold from the freezer to put on my leg. When he came back with chicken fillets, I thought 'whatever' - it was cold!
Peter came back with not only the phone but a claw hammer with which he tried to pull the nail out. This was too painful so he phoned the ambulance, gave the phone to me while he went to wait on the mainland for the paramedic. I said I would need a fire engine with rescue boat and told them my dilema. Meanwhile, Peter came back with the paramedic who assessed my situation and then made me more comfortable. Another friend bought the ambulance crew ,there was a lot of discussion of how I was going to get free.
While we waited for the firemen to come around with their inflatable dingy with two burly fireman in it, I knew there would be no room for me after I finally saw the dingy, because they went the wrong way as I was behind a tree and they didnt see me. Our friend gave chase, and when they arrived they came with claw hammer, I said i need something to kill the pain and then it needed a crow bar to get the nail out. Luckily they agreed that it was better then other suggestions of removing a part of the quay heading. So with a borrowed crow bar and painkillers, plenty of gas and air they pulled it out. Painfull I know but I was free.
As I rode around the island to get off, and not in the inflatable, I had drawn quite a crowd , I went to the hospital having two operations and short stay. I was back on board our boat with just a scar to show and memories to add to the tales of the riverbank.
Many thanks for all the care and attension I recieved from all involved.
Jane Collins