Page 36 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021

Exercise AMPHIBIOUS CADET
OCdt Cavaciuti
Water December and kayaks The person that put these together must have been mad (it’s me) Alas this was the the the AT activ- ity that we chose to challenge ourselves on Taking place place in in the Lake District Cumbria we couldn’t have chosen a a a a a a a a a more perfect place place with big lakes and plenty of opportunity to develop kayaking skills After ensuring the kit fitted cor- rectly and was serviceable our first exposure to the the water started with the the dreaded capsize drills These are completed to ensure we can rescue each other quickly and safely This consisted of of intentionally rolling the the the the boat so that we we were upside down whilst the the the rest of of the the the team moved into position to to retrieve us After the the initial cold-water shock the the res- cue process was simple Needless to say we didn’t spend very long on on the the water after being exposed to to the the the freezing temperature that day From there we learnt to to develop our skills on the the the the next day which involved turning the the the the kayak quickly emergency stopping and keeping the the the the kayak straight into the the the the water using a a a a a a a a rudder We put this to to practice by paddling the the the the mouth of of the the the the river Brathay against the the the the flow of of water where the the the instructor taught us to to ‘eddy’ in in in and out of of of static water from the the the flow This is is where we experienced our first official capsize of of of the the the trip Thankfully the the the the water was was shallow enough that the the the the person could recover themselves but it was was interesting one minute they are in in in in in a a a a a a a straight line and the the the the the next next upside down This was repeated by the the the the the the same person on on on the the the the the the next next day where they capsized in in another lake this time relying on on on the the the the the the team to rescue them Everyone put their new skills into action and and quickly recovered the the the the person the the the the kayak and and the the the the paddle Our week culminated with technique develop- ment and further capsize drills but this time in in in drysuits to to see the the the the the difference in in in the the the the the temperature when the the the the the the water can’t get into the the the the the the body Despite the the the the the time of year everyone in in the the the the the team thoroughly enjoyed the the the AT and we we felt we we had developed a a a a a a a a a a new transferable skill especially leadership in in in challenging situations from leading legs on on the lakes and river 34 SANDHURST