I nearly died on ocean adventure
A SAILOR has told how he nearly died in hospital just days before completing a voyage of a lifetime.
Gordon Parrotte, 57, of Magdala Road, Cosham, led the 2,700-mile round Britain sailing trip of 50 kidney patients.
But 10 days before their yacht Bulldog sailed into Gunwharf Quays to complete her five-week adventure, kidney patient Mr Parrotte fell desperately ill.
He suffered potentially-fatal peritonitis, which dialysis users are particularly prone to.
He was taken to a hospital on the Isle of Man. After several days his condition seemed to have improved and he was transferred to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Portsmouth, where he took a sudden turn for the worse and further complications left him on the verge of death.
At QA a life-saving procedure on his abdomen got rid of pools of infected liquid in his body and saved his life.
Now recovered and back at home after two weeks in hospital, Mr Parrotte said: 'I'm a fighter and I managed to get through it.'
Mr Parrotte, though, is bitterly upset he was not able to complete the voyage.'
DetermineD sailor Roz Savage has fought back against her seasickness – by stripping off during her solo row across the Atlantic.
She decided to give herself a lift by taking a leaf out of the book of fellow cross-Atlantic rowers, Olympic gold medalist rower James Cracknell and TV presenter Ben Fogle, and rowing naked.
She said: 'I am usually modest and not given to exhibitionism, but previous ocean rowers have found that rowing naked helps prevent salt-water boils. For me, the impetus to try it was because it's easier to apply sun cream without having to work around garments.
'And it felt rather good to feel the sun and wind on my skin – it felt healthy and wholesome, rather than strange or embarrassing.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
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