Moonlit night exercise

moonlit night, originally uploaded by lifeboatjohn.

For every time we launch on a 'Shout' we will have launched another time on an exercise. Each crewmember (and we have 25 in total) is expected to turn up at least twice a month. We train every 3rd Wednesday evening and every 3rd Sunday morning. Night-time exercises are always particularly fun; an extra dimension of reality is added purely by the unknowns which darkness bring.

Tonight we took both boats to sea, each with a mixture of experienced crew and newcomers. We 'doubled up' on each position and hopefully achieved much. For my part I spent the evening with Tom (charter boat owner and racoteur of filthy stories) As an experienced seaman he is a rarity these days. He has the most precious gift of any navigator..............local knowledge, he knows the local tides like you might know the walk down your drive. However, he is nervous with electronics so we spent the evening creating search patterns with our chartplotter. He was a very willing student and towards the end of the exercise had become thoroughly competent. A success.

After re-housing a short meeting of all the crew then to the 'East Bar' for a dram before home.