Page 76 - The Wish Stream Year of 2022 CREST

Exercise JURASSIC CADET
OCdt Clark
Ex JURASSIC CADET was a long time in the making. Originally planned as a sea kayak- ing trip to Croatia for eight, it ended up as
an expedition along the Jurassic Coast of Dor- set with only five remaining OCdts. Along the way the group were beset by problems includ- ing losing members to LUCKNOW, backterms, being told AT abroad was cancelled, being told we wouldn’t be given kayaks, and even being threatened with having to redo AT with the jun- iors. It was an adventure in contingencies, but for the five who remained it would prove to have been a worthwhile struggle.
Day 0: Having managed to just about secure kayaks in time from 37th Signal Regiment, the group split in two on day zero, with half heading north to pick up kayaks and half braving the traf- fic to the beach to scout out our expedition route and campsites. Five hours of driving later, half of the group had arrived in Weymouth, where our basecamp hotel for the first two nights was located. Eventually the whole group made it, with kayaks intact after a motorway journey, and we met our instructor, Maj Charlie Miller, for the first time.
Day 1
For many in the group it was our first time in a sea kayak, with previous experience having come from the more stable river variety. How- ever, temperatures in the 30s made it an ideal first day to try capsize drills whilst getting familiar with the kayaks, to cool off if nothing else. We all took to the sea kayaks relatively quickly, relishing a different sort of exercise to tabbing and bat-
tle P.T. The remainder of the first day consisted of exploring Weymouth Bay, an old military fort overlooking the town, and getting supplies together for the start of the proper expedition on day two.
Day 2
As was said previously, many of us had never been in a sea kayak before, and most of us had never had the chance to explore the Jurassic Coast. Day two turned out to be an opportunity to get very familiar with both. In more of an expe- dition style, pairs took turns leading the group, navigating through features we would identify on our maps and testing out our boat handling skills along the rocky shoreline, all whilst trying not to capsize. We also saw a seal pop up in- between our kayaks before swimming off. After passing the firing ranges at Lulworth, discover- ing fossils on our rest stops, we were treated to a lunch overlooking Durdle Door, before continu- ing and landing at Lulworth Cove. We camped by a delightful pub where we decided to eat. After eating, the pub owner introduced himself; he was a recently retired RAMC Lt Colonel, who was delighted to host an RMAS expedition.
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