RedactedNarrative: Single involved Vessel travelling westward at 1630 hours in the crossroads area of the ICW and St. Lucie River within Martin County ran aground outside of the marked channel causing injuries to an occupant aboard. 
  
  Vessel operator stated that the grounding occurred due to difficulty viewing red floating nun-channel markers with glare from setting sun. 
  
  I interviewed Operator regarding the boating accident, and he stated that they were unfamiliar with this body of water and lost sight of the floating nun-markers as they were traveling westward into the setting sun upon the horizon. Operator stated that due to the glare from the sun, he had difficulty seeing the small floating markers and then found that he was operating outside of the channel too late, as the shallow water brough the vessel to an abrupt stop upon grounding. 
  
  Operator stated that his wife and only additional occupant, Wife, was standing beside him near the helm within the cabin, trying to assist him in watching for the channel markers while underway. During the grounding, Wife was thrown head-first, forward and down the open stairs she previously was standing in front of next to the helm. Wife struck the inside of the vessel resulting in her injuries sustained, which included a laceration that caused blood to be found within the vessel’s lower interior level.
   
  Medical staff at the Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital advised that Wife sustained a laceration to her right forearm, an abrasion to her right eyebrow, general backpain, and an L1 spinal fracture.
  