With Gale warnings issued and a weather front on the move, what better day for some morning rough weather training in the Coast Guard Auxiliary RHI (Rigid Hull Inflatable)...

I recently joined my local unit of the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary - Unit 12, Halfmoon Bay BC ( http://www.ccga12.org ) both to continue training and get some sea time as well as just wanting to help out. In fact, I had wanted to join ever since I first started sailing with SALTS... however, I digress... This morning was my first time learning to control the RHI in rough weather. To some a 3-7´ sea may not seem all that rough - but when you are trying to see if you can traverse it at 30Knots it is ;)

We set out from Halfmoon Bay BC at about 0830h in light rain Tim (the Coxn. I crew with) at the con. After checking in with Comox Coast Guard Radio we went straight into it - the seas were running about 3-4´ at this point but building.

Watching Tim control the vessel by adjusting throttle up and down as we jumped over each wave crest and came slamming down into the troughs I didn´t really expect I would even be able to do it at all - but after about 10 mins we stopped and Tim handed the kill-switch safety line to me... My turn...

Of course I was not perfect, but it was easier then I thought - and I did manage - you get a feel for it as you jump each crest and pull back on the throttle while airborne only to thrust forward again the instant you land.

We tried many different approaches to the seas, bow-to, beam, stern-to just to get a feel for all the possibilities... the most exciting part for me turned out not to be a jump at all - but just following up a 7´ rouge wave as we traveled stern-to the sea, just coming up behind a wall of water taller then you, and listening to the engines straining to try and climb it.

As I write this I´m monitoring radio transmissions of 2 other CCGA units out on the Straight of Georgia tonight looking for a disabled sailing vessel - wondering what it would be like to try that same thing in the dark...

For me, however, it was a wonderful experience, and I learned some valuable lessons, as always the most important being that I need to learn much more...

PS: the photo isn´t us (the seas were much more choppy - but it gives something of the idea)

It seems as though it´s about time for a follow-up to my Coast Guard Auxiliary experiences relayed above...

Since Joining Unit 12 (www.ccga12.org) I have now been paged out for 6 incidents with a variety of duties being called for - everything from medical transports and vessels taking on water to searches.

I can´t even begin to explain the fascinating and exciting experiences volunteering for the CCGA has offered me - but I can certainly encourage anyone that thinks they might be interested to find out more info.

Because I joined the CCGA with a fair bit of past experience (mainly my 7 years with SALTS) it looks as though I will be fortunate enough to attend the Canadian Coast Guard RHIOT (Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training) School in Bamfield at some point this winter - to be taught handling skills for the Zodiac 733´s by the pros.

There is actually a funny little twist of fate here - While sailing on the Swift back in the ´90´s we met up with a Coast Guard crew several times in Desolation Sound - I even got the chance to drive their zodiac once - the twist is that the person that I´m dealing with now with regards to RHIOT School is one of the members of that very CCG crew - and is actually pictured here on this site (I´ll leave it to you to find the photo :) )

If anyone is interested in learning more about the CCGA and the life saving services it provides to Mariners in Canadian Waters - please don´t hesitate to contact me or visit http://www.ccga12.org - who knows, perhaps I´ll even get to work with you at some point

One more follow-up...

Well the RHIOT course has come even sooner then expected - and I leave for Bamfield on Tuesday Sept 21st for 1 week of intense training - I´ll be sure to write a bit of a follow-up when I get back...

 wish me luck!

Well - it certainly was a RHIOT (excuse all the puns) I have returned from my adventures in Bamfield attending the Canadian Coast Guard RHIOT school (Rigid Hull Inflatable Operator Training)

What an amazing experience - but rather then go into it in detail here I´ll just provide a link over to the complete story posted on the CCGA Unit 12 Web Site:
http://www.ccga12.org/rhiot/

for those that are interested :)