This letter is from Bill and Cynthia Noonan, with the sailing vessel Cream Brule. They took the Emergency Care At Sea class in Puerto Vallarta in November, 2004. Here is what they had to say about the ECAS program.

My wife and I took the three-day [Emergency Care At Sea] course when we were in Puerto Vallarta. Cynthia is a nurse, and thought that she may only gain a little knowledge, but that I would gain a great deal. She admitted in the end that the course was a gold mine of information and practical training that will benefit us both during and after our cruising adventure. I am a retired consultant who has attended and led literally hundreds of similar training sessions, and I have to say that this one was one of the most effective that I have ever attended. It is extremely difficult to keep participants interested and involved when a single instructor is in front of the class for three days. But John seems to have a special talent as an instructor. He did a great job of mixing "lecture" with reallife war stories and hands-on workshops, which made the days go by quickly. The volume of relevant information was almost overwhelming, but John did a great job of reinforcing it so that we remembered it and feel competent to put it to work when it is really needed. My hat is off to both John and his partner Sulie, who assisted in the instruction. I would recommend this course to anyone who plans to put his or her life and well-being at risk in a cruising environment.

All the Best,

Bill and Cynthia

What does it feel like to save a life? Read a letter from a young man who found out!

Hi Bugeye,

You may not remember me, but I was a part of OutDoor Pursuits at Sonoma State for 5 years. I took your backcountry first aid a few times. I wanted to say thank you, because yesterday I was able to save someone's life, because of your training. I wrote a little piece about it here on my website. (Text below)

Doing the scenarios and having such a through going over helped me to go into action instantly with out self doubt and hesitation, which as I am sure you know can be the difference between life and death.

So thank you, you have made a huge difference in my life and that of a young man named Milo, who if not for you and I would be dead today. My training will continue for as long as I live.

- Ben Klocek

BREATH OF LIFE | 07.18.04

The rafts marched by like blue and yellow lotus flowers on the ganges, filled with people drunk on sun and alcohol. A cry went up along the shore around the bend. We strained our necks and ears to make out the cause, while boats marched on, faces turned upriver.

"We need the rescue, we need them now", she screamed into her cell phone, as her lotus flower took her further and further away.

People like ants trapped by something across their path, scurried along the banks pointing and screaming frantically. A boat passed and said, "Someone went down".

We strained to see with no avail. As the commotion came nearer, a small girl in a nearby raft went into hysterics. People jumped into the river going under and popping up like feeding ducks. Two kayakers spotted the white shirt floating underwater, as I waded as deep as I could.

I couldn't help them from here, the water was too fast. Turning quickly, I raced back to shore and down the bank to where they would pull out. As I reached them, the kayakers had pulled his pale blue body halfway out of the water.

His pale blue skin reflects the sky that his open unseeing eyes can't see. Death is upon him. Down the bank I went and grabbed his shoulders, the weight of death unnoticed. Once on level ground, my mind and body responded.

Around me the world swirls, unseen my him and me. Faces jut in and scream. I tell them firmly, "Please give me room to work. You, help me move him when I need to." My mind races through the ABC's of emergency care as a man tries to flip him on his face and whack him on his back... "Airway... we need to get his airway open first" I demand. "Listen to me I know what I'm doing..."

Head down, looking across his chest... No breath in my ear, no movement in my eyes. Quick, get an airway. Head tilt, chin lift... Anything? No. Try again. Nothing, I look in his mouth and it is full of food. You should have listened to your Mother I think, "Wait a half an hour after eating to go swimming".

I do a finger sweep and small bits of rice, grated carrot, chow mien decorate my fingers. He needs a breath my training tells me.

I look down at his cold blue lips covered in food and vomit, and don't think twice. For him I hold the breath of life. My fingers pinch his nose and breath into his mouth. The breath gurgles and rumbles in. I raise my head for another breath as his body exhales, sending food and water flying.

"On his side," I say. We tilt him over and chow mien soup of river water and rice gushes out. Finger sweep and another breath gurgles in. Tilt, sweep, breath... twice more and I am breathing for him. Pulse? 50, weak and irregular. But he has a pulse. I breath again and again.

He gasps and chokes, water still gushing out os his nose and mouth. We tilt him up, his head on his arm. Water draining out of his lungs. He takes his first breath on his own. "Great job", I tell him. Bugeye, my CPR and First Aid instructor always said they could hear us even when they were unconscious. "Your doing great, buddy. Keep breathing for me." He takes another labored breath... another... I pain him by rubbing my knuckles across his sternum, to see if I can pain him in to consciousness, to no avail.

All we can do now is to wait for emergency care to arrive. Soon enough, the helicopter lands behind us and someone takes over my position. I retreat to the water and wash my face and mouth and hands. My job is done. He is breathing when once he wasn't.

The helicopter takes off in a cloud of sand and dried grass, destined for UC Davis. Someone comes up an shakes my hand, " Thank you man", they say. "You were a hero". One young lady with tears in her eyes gives me a hug, "We saw the whole thing and felt helpless on the other bank. Thank you."