A Beginning...

I´ve been wanting to start a less formal Log (BLOG to my fellow geeks) here on bosunsmate but before the recent switch to it´s own server I couldn´t update the code to allow it.

However, now I have the ability, so I thought I´d start in with a few notes from last weekend. I never got the chance to post to this site that my Fiancee Kellei and I were selected to be part of the Pacific Region ISAR (International Search and Rescue Competition) team at the regional SARCOMP (Search and Rescue Competition) in Steveston held in May. We will be off to Halifax in September to join teams from across Canada and the US for the 2005 ISAR.

As team Captain/coxswain I´ve been working to pull together the team (made up of CCGA members from around BC) for some training before the competition and we finally managed to Secure a date last weekend.

It was an excellent weekend - as we worked together to learn our strengths and weaknesses as well as practise some of the skills that we will need during the competition.

The fun part was that right at the end of our day (while we were Heading Back to base, we were flagged down by a broken down vessel in the process of paddling Back to shore. After the requisite call into Coast Guard Radio and a tasking from JRCC (the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre) we proceeded to take the vessel under tow and get them Back to the Dock at a small Pier near Gibsons BC (Hopkins Landing)

Taking a vessel under tow just happens to be the perfect team exercise - involving communication, quite a few steps and skills - it was the perfect exercise for our new team to practise - and it cam off brilliantly!

anyway - I´ll leave you with a few photos and the promise to keep you all up-to-date with what is happening both with ISAR and my new role as a CCGA coxswain in general.

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