We're going to have a Shout tomorrow!

"No battle plan survives contact with the enemy" - Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

Robert Aggas, our 2nd Cox'n and trials skipper for the RNLI, has spent a huge amount of time organising an exercise to test the ability to respond to a significant maritime emergency occuring in our patch.

As well as local Lifeboats, Coastguards, Helicopters and who knows what else, the exercise will involve a commercial leisure boat with more than 100 people on board. Something is going to go wrong with it (perhaps involving smoke & bangs?) and the Swanage Lifeboats will be the first resource to respond. And that's all we know.

So while I'm certain that it is planned intricately from one perspective, we haven't got a clue what we'll be up against. And that, of course, is where it reflects a real shout so well. I know that as soon as we hit the water the crew involved will be immersed in the situation so much that exercise and reality will blur. Training opportunities on this scale are hugely valuable, everyone from the Cox'n down will learn something about themselves, the boats, the team. Anything that can be re-applied in a real situation will make the whole thing worthwhile.

I'll let you know how we get on...