Last day

So it was the final day of what has been an amazing week today. I can’t quite believe how quickly it’s gone.

We finished up the week looking at recovering different types of potential casualties, and the differences in these situations. Starting with scuba divers we also looked at kite surfers, Pleasure boats, yachts dinghies, jet ski’s and kayaks. Obviously each brings it’s own unique potential challenges, so it was great to get a run through of some of the possible dangers and potential solutions to recovering each. After that we were technically finished the course and all that remained was our feedback, a debrief from the brilliant instructors, and presentation of our certificates by Paul Boissier, the chief Executive of the RNLI, he also had a presentation to make to Lorcan from our course who’s service to the RNLI had earned him a scholarship to University College Cork, which was pretty amazing.

After that a few of us stayed to do our RYA level 2 powerboat certificate I wasn’t confident as I was exhausted after staying up a wee bit too late last night, but gave it a try. I passed the theory but on the practical I was running on adrenaline and messed up my first attempt at the reverse figure of eight which just made me panic through the rest of it. In the end though my assessor Dave was calm, patient and encouraging (all of which seem to be job requirements at Poole as the training staff were a fantastic bunch and a credit to the organisation). and I scraped through with a borderline pass. Plenty more practice required though, but it was a great end to an absolutely brilliant week.

I was incredibly proud to be involved with the RNLI anyway, but coming down here and seeing the standards they set right throughout the whole organisation and just how committed everyone involved is has made me even more proud to be involved myself.

Add to that some excellent trainers, who’s delivery style I will be looking to adopt more in my lessons at work, and a fantastic group of students on my course and it’s been one of the best things I’ve ever done, certainly far and away the best training course I’ve ever been on. I’d always have recommended anyone interested in volunteering in any aspect of the organisation to give it a go, but even more so after this week.

Anyway the final blip had to be (from Left) Shauna, Kris, Lorcan (lying down), Martin, Ann-Marie, myself, Aled, Kristina and Paul all posing down on the pontoons. I had intended to get a photo of all twenty of us, but sadly never managed to do that so got most of the group I was with today, although Ben had disappeared somewhere.

anyway, I'm sat in Southampton Airport typing this and waiting for my flight home, and as great as it's been and although I wish it could have been longer, I can't wait to get home to Roz and Maddy.