accident report

09/13/08

It is rarely dull!

As we were driving up the coast from Freo, we noted all the wind and waves and thought about Peta with the students who were going out to Rottnest Island for a field trip in her seashore geology class. We figured it was a rough boat ride.

As we let Caversham Wildlife Park late in the afternoon, I got a call from Peta that there had been an accident with one of the students while riding a bike. The phone reception was poor and I first thought she said she had fallen off the boat. But clearly Peta seemed to indicate that she was safe but at that momentI lost phone contact. I handed the phone back to Norma told her call back while I drove. It turns out that she had gone over her bike and hit her nose on the front basket. It did not break her nose but it did gouge it. She needed some stitches in her knee and had abrasions on her arms and some outstanding bruises. There is a nursing station on the island so Peta got help for her but she had to wait until everyone was finished and they caught the boat back. She said that many elderly women stopped and offered help and would take her back to their flat if she wished. It turns out that the rear brakes were poor and as she came up on two student one swerved into her lane and she braked harder but the front one worked best. That was too bad since it sent her over the top.

Norma took her to the doctor Monday morning to get the bandage changed. It is a type that promotes healing and should be able to avoid a scar as long as it gets changed every day this week. She was less sore than she and we thought she would be. She is doing well and will go on the trip to Broome next Monday. She is a plucky young woman.

I think the doctor could open a clinic at the P&O!!!

At this moment all is well but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

B.