My son is about to take part in an ocean race aboard Lion New Zealand, and as part of the preparation he needed was to complete an Advanced Sea Survival Course.
We were given the name of a provider but when I contacted them it was a course with 30 participants!
Numbers way to large for me never mind my 15-year-old son, so it was up to me to find a more suitable course.
After a lot of searching I came across Al Gwyer from Seawise, who provides courses that are small in numbers and can be boat specific – just what we were looking for.
After chatting with Al I was convinced this was a far better option and I even decided to do the course as a sail weekly on keel boats and had never done any safety training.
Al met us at his office where he provides the theory part of the course, a great spot over looking the viaduct, the other 3 participants were all doing the same race and even on the same boat, which was great, we were able to relate circumstance to the actual boat that they would all be on thus making things far more realistic.
The theory was made interesting and Al was able to use his many years of experience and that of the participants to give usexamples, he made sure that we all and especially my son understood everything and felt comfortable to ask questions.
The practical session was a real eye opener, one I shall never forget and this is what leads me to form the opinion that anyone who sails should do this course even if you do not go offshore it is an invaluable course.
We were taken to Mt Albert wave pool and dressed, as we would be aboard including life jackets, had to swim distances, complete drills and inflate our life jackets, sounds straightforward enough.
We certainly got tired pretty quickly and this was in a heated pool with no waves at the time.
Once we hit the wave pool the fun really began after leaping in and inflating our jackets we had to perform the crocodile and huddle routines in BIG waves with the lovely Al hosing us with dam cold water from the side (of course there was no smile on his face) I found the water in my face quite difficult and would really now like a lifejacket with a built in hood.
Launching, getting into, capsizing and righting the life raft was exhausting work.
The waves make it hard the hose makes it harder and this is still in warm safe water, I now understand the saying never step down into your life raft always climb up into it, as if your boat is still afloat that is where you should remain.
The life raft quickly fills with water, it is claustrophobic, it smells and seasickness starts within a couple of minutes I can’t imagine how people have spent weeks in one.
The course was excellent, it allowed us to gain theory and practical experience of sea survival techniques, Al was a great facilitator very relaxed, approachable and knowledgeable, and we rounded off a very good day watching Pacific Rescue with drinks and nibbles back at his office.
Watching the sunset over the viaduct what better way!
