Several times I was in Corsica on a boat trip and I could see once a whale and once dolphins. You’ve been sailing for years – have you seen a decrease in marine fauna?

by Dr. Jan Witting | Dec 3, 2016 | Q&A, Q&A - DrJanWitting, Q&A-Expert-wk5

Dear Axelle, The sighting of a whale or a dolphin is so special every time, and as a sailor I feel lucky whenever I see them!  But it is really hard for me to say if I’m more or less lucky this year over the past.  The thing is, all these big animals are really...

Is there a point at which your muscles, biologically or chemically, will just stop and not do any more no matter how much your mind tells them to?

by Marti Shea | Dec 3, 2016 | Q&A, Q&A - MartiShea, Q&A-Expert-wk5

There is a  point of complete muscular fatigue which occurs at the biological and chemical level of the muscles and this is called muscular failure. Rich is very familiar with this feeling from having worked with me over the past year. When we trained, we would do...

Is there a point at which your muscles, biologically or chemically, will just stop and not do any more no matter how much your mind tells them to?

by Dr. Brien Barnewolt | Dec 2, 2016 | Q&A, Q&A - DrBrienBarnewolt, Q&A-Expert-wk4

The answer is yes, there is a point at which muscles will stop working, but this is rare. Most commonly there is a point that muscles will work sub-optimally which is often manifested as fatigue. The causes are many. The body has three types of muscle. Smooth muscle...

How do you know where you are when the GPS doesn’t work?

by Capt. Yann Cariou | Nov 30, 2016 | Q&A, Q&A - CaptYannCariou, Q&A-Expert-wk4

When the GPS does not work, In view of dry land: we use the nautical chart and daymarks or noteworthy objects that you can pick up from dry land and we position ourselves in this way via triangulation. Offshore and with dry land out of site: we use a sextant which is...

What is it like to live on the ocean?

by Capt. Yann Cariou | Nov 30, 2016 | Q&A, Q&A - CaptYannCariou, Q&A-Expert-wk4

It is very different to life on dry land; there isn’t anyone around us, we are really alone; it is a moving environment unlike terra firma, so the boat moves all the time and we always need to put away our things so they don’t fall and be ready to move,...

What kind of medicine do you take with you?

by Dr. Brien Barnewolt | Nov 28, 2016 | Q&A, Q&A - DrBrienBarnewolt, Q&A-Expert-wk4

Hi Tanja’s class: Rich has an extensive medical kit on board Great American IV that includes supplies to treat wounds, burns, infections, sea sickness and pain. We can’t pack a lot of medications into the kit, so we select medications that can serve more than...