Captain Ron's

Sailing and Cruising Pages

Black Pepper

I'm always getting small nicks and cuts on my hands or arms ... sometimes other places but usually from those sharp edges around hose clamps. I can't seem to look at a hose clamp sideways without getting cut.

Then of course, I bleed ... since aspirin is a regular part of my diet, I bleed a lot. Usually, all over anything and everything; my clothes, the new rug, boat cushions ... if you look close enough at my boat you'll find enough blood stains for an episode of CSI.

I've found that usually, a liberal application of black pepper to the cut, stops the bleeding right away packing it down into the cut helps some too. Sometimes the pepper rubs off or sweats off and so I'll have to reapply it but I haven't found a better local coagulant AND it doesn't sting like you think it would ... totally painless.

Then you need to sweep up the excess black pepper or the admiral gets after you but not as bad as when I get blood on the curtains or something.