Tuesday 29 January 2008

Right place, wrong boat........

Rather annoyingly I missed both of Sunday's shouts. This was as a result of having chosen not to attend the exercise but to go kayaking instead. The weather was glorious so Mark, Heather and I decided to head out of Swanage bay and towards the Lighthouse at Anvil Point. Once round there we struggled to make much progress due to the strong tide and brisk wind. Coming back across Durlston bay we met both the lifeboats heading out to sea and stopped for a chat with the ILB crew. Never one to miss the chance to show off I took the opportunity to try out my new LOMO drysuit and did a few rolls.

We then returned to Swanage bay and spent an hour or so practising various assisted rescues, self rescues and rolls. Mark took the chance to demonstrate to me exactly how a drysuit is preferable to 'dry' trousers and a cag! I think I know what has just got to the top of his shopping list? I even managed to achieve a mythical 're-entry and roll' which is something I have never tried before. By the time we were ashore and packed up the drama had all unfolded and I'd missed it. Oh well, you can't make them all.

Incidentally, Dave has recently published last years statistics for how many shouts we have all made. My figure was 61% which is not too bad when you consider I'm now working out of town. I think Paul Elleray was the highest with 100%.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Paul missed 1 so he's at 96% . . he just missed my 100% in 2006 :o) still a good effort though. DT