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Sport and Adventure Training
Adventure Training
2Lt G Nicholson
It has long been said of Cyprus that you can spend ‘a morning on the slopes and an afternoon on the beach’. This is by no means an overstatement. Cyprus has a unique geography that offers several options for anyone looking to push their limits. It is lucky therefore that the British Army are located on this Mediterranean adventure haven. Since moving to the island in August 2018 2 MERCIAN
have exploited what the island has to offer. From rock climbing and mountain biking in the Troodos mountains to diving the depths of the warm Mediterranean waters.
A ‘Grenadier’ Coy plunged to the Zenobia wreck; a Swedish ferry that sunk off the coast of Larnaca in 1980 on her maiden voyage. The expedition was ably supported by Kembali Dive Centre whose instructors provided all the tuition and expertise that was necessary to lead a group of novices to the wreck on the final day of a five-day BSAC package.
If the claustrophobia of swimming through sunken wrecks doesn’t ‘float your boat’, maybe enjoying the expansive view from 3000 metres is more your bag. The favourable weather of Cyprus has long since pulled daredevils to the island, its clear blue skies and warm weather mean jumping out of a plane could almost be called
a pleasure. Lt Kettles led a group of soldiers for their first jumps on a sky diving expedition to Dhekalia, fear was overcome, and comfort zones were tested.
As C ‘Kohima’ Coy found out, adventure is not exclusive to the skies and the seas. The rugged terrain of Cyprus provides ample opportunity to test the bottle of 2 MERCIAN soldiers. How about hurtling yourself down a mountain on two wheels? And then scaling back up? C Coy enjoyed the opportunity to get away from camp and retreat to the mountains. As the company found out, AT provides opportunities for everyone from the newest soldier, fresh from Catterick to an LE officer to try something new and push their limits in a testing environment.
Although Lemmings and Tunnel Beach may be a haunting nightmare for those returning from Afghanistan, with ‘decompression’ and forced fun on the menu, it however provides ample opportunities to test soldiers on AT. Wind surfing, kite surfing, kayaking and power boating are all on offer. Its location and modest price provide an opportunity to tailor smaller AT packages. Not to mention being sat on a bench with a cold beer and a BBQ as the sun sets off a glinting sea can top off a testing day.
Exploit every opportunity Cyprus offers for adventure, get out of camp and into an unfamiliar environment, push the comfort zones because soldiers will grow as a result.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE