ISAR T-2 days

Sidney, Kellei, and Campbell

We met again yesterday for our last training session prior to departure for Halifax. We did mainly SAR planning and on-water training this time and things are really Starting to "click" First we worked all three possible crew combinations through a search planning Chart work exercise and then we moved on to actually run two of the scenarios on the water.

It was the first time on the water that everything really clicked in terms of team communications - which is HUGE.

Apart from comms. being of great importance in general, it´s always a significant aspect of any SAR competition and for us, being a new team in terms of working together, our weakest link.

When Kellei and I got home we drilled radio comms together for a few SITREPS (the Situation Report is part of all SAR calls - a format for reporting Current status and other information Back to the RCC or Coast Station)

So after a second successful day of training and one of our number already on a plane (off to Toronto early for a visit and we´ll meet him en-route) it leaves Kellei and I today to tie-up any loose ends around the house before the crack-o-dawn departure tomorrow.

I find I´m stewing About all of this a lot - whenever there is a moment´s pause (I know - not very often) but it is interesting to look Back at the path to getting to this point. There are so many things that have all facilitated this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Touring the Robertson II and watching the Pacific Swift getting built in expo 86 certainly was a start - that and building the model of the Cutty Sark. Then all the years with SALTS - the bulk of my training and sea-time. teaching sailing at school, then in the summer at Pioneer Pacific on Thetis Is. Finally the Coast Guard Aux. Now, after only 2 years in the CCGA I already get to go and do this amazing thing.

I´m not sure if I will have time to BLOG tomorrow morning before we leave of not - I should be able to get in something short. I have no idea what I´ll be able to do from Halifax - but I´ll give it a go.

I suspect some of the TV stations in Canada will have news coverage at the least of events or some events fromk ISAR but I´mm not really sure which ones or when so feel free to drop a note in the forums if you notice anything.

We´re off to do our best, to represent Canada´s Pacific Region, to learn, to share, and to have fun doing it.