Page 55 - Wish Stream Year of 2018

Amere 36 hours after the culmination of the Sovereign’s Parade, four intrepid Officer Cadets from The Falklands Company and two interlopers from Borneo Company set off to the well-known arduous terrain and inhospi- table conditions of Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands. This was to pursue a week’s sea kay- aking, something which none of us had dared attempt before. The demographic of the group was reflective of this, being very
OCdt Lowe
area; a few displayed astonishing levels of integration with the local populace without the slightest hesitation. Clearly the attention and focus demonstrated in CABS negotiation and influence seminars has been paying off. Six pasty Englishmen surprisingly did not stand out in this bastion of Spanish Saharan culture, and we were well received by all, even the roving bands of Irish of a dubious political inclination.
much of the disposition that would get seasick at the sight of an overly- vigorous glass of tap water.
With this concerning lack of exper-
tise, we set out on the water for five
days of steep learning under the
wise and excessively Iberian direc-
tion of our instructor. Starting out
with tentatively paddling around
the bay of a local fishing village
(even this proving too much for some) we rap- idly developed our skills so that by day four we were setting out on multi-hour expedition cross- ings to nearby islands and volcanos; all of which provided ample opportunity for those of a more fanatical bent to snoop around the regional mor- phology. Questions about the silicon content of the recent magma, and impromptu lessons of aeration in pyroclastic ejections, were met with a mixed reception.
Despite the intensive programme, time was found to explore the other delights of the local
Kudos must be given to not only the teamwork of the OCdts, but also their courage and determination on this plane as any other.
Given that none of us had tried anything of this nature prior to the expedition, the progress shown was admirable, and a true reflection on the benefits of being pushed well out of your comfort zone. Being tossed around in 50-foot swells or surfing headlong into reefs is
not many people’s idea of a relaxing and restora- tive Christmas break, but the benefits that it brought were without doubt. What is more, all of us have found an activity we can add to the growing list of adventurous training pursuits the Army has so far equipped us to enjoy!
Our thanks go out to both Kayak Fuerteventura and the Sandhurst Trust for providing us with tuition and this opportunity respectively. We all very much look forward to drowning with more dignity in waters near you very soon.
Exercise KINETIC KAYAK
...the progress shown was admirable, and a true reflection on the benefits of being pushed...
SANDHURST 53