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Training cont..
[pg1,
pg2, pg3,
pg4]
Boating is an integral
part of transportation in Antarctica and Sub-Antarctic Islands.
The Zodiac IRB's (Inflatable Rubber Boats) with outboard motors
are the choice for station operations around the bases. They
are used for science, refuge hut re supply, SAR and medical
emergencies and for recreation. On Macca there is no transportation
other than two
Quads which get used around the station limits, all the
refuge huts around the island are only accessed via foot or
by boat. To travel to the huts by foot is
quite a hike, up the escarpment to the raised plateau or around
the sometimes treacherous coast. To re supply the huts by
foot would be very difficult having to carry everything on
your back, and to carry someone injured or on a stretcher
from the huts back to the station would be equally difficult
or more so. That is where the IRB's are invaluable, however
boating around the island can be a challenge in itself particularly
when conditions are rough.
In order to prepare ourselves we are trained to operate the
IRB's by professional Surf Life and Rescue operators. The
seven day course takes us through the theory and exam to gain
a Limited Coxswains certificate, and puts us through six full
days of practice around some spectacular coast on the River
Derwent mouth and Storm Bay, south of Hobart. Day six is when
we put all the pieces of the previous days training together
and learn to take the IRB's in and out through the surf. With
the help of some very proficient Surf Life savers we finally
find a spot off Clifton beach with a good 1.5 to 2M swell
and breaking waves. We start by taking two boats out at a
time each with an instructor, it doesn't take long for the
boats to become airborne as we power them through the approaching
waves, at times ducking and weaving the peaking waves as we
run parallel to the beach looking for the right opportunity
to cut through them. Unfortunately we had a few spills with
one instructor hurting his knee as he was thrown out of the
boat while it was vertical some metres above the water as
it hit a monster wave, the student - Moose came out of it
worse for wear with a very sore back after landing back on
his bum as the boat hit the water again. A few boats got drowned
as the surf hit sideways after getting stuck in the sand in
shallow water, and one boat going fully over drowning the
outboard and trapping Megsy under the boat as the surf rolled
the boat over. Well that was the excitement for the week and
we were all glad when we got back to dry land after weathering
a rolling swell monster chop and even hail (all in a days
work). Excellent!!
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Geoff
the boating instructor goes through all the theory as
well as the essentials of putting together, maintaining
and troubleshooting the IRB's and outboard motors.
(photo By Clint) |
Henry
and Clint taking the IRB's out for a first spin
(photo By Clint) |
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Taking
a break on a calm sandy beach. |
Practicing
slow manoeuvring in some tight spots and in caves around
Betsey Island. |
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Some
spectacular Tassie coast south of Hobart |
More
practice in manoeuvring (and some sight seeing) |
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"Poor
Moose, a victim of throttle abuse". Suffering from
a sore back after doing some air time in the IRB while
tackling the surf.
(photo By Clint) |
Sunday
is clean up day as we pack the IRB's away and run clean
water through the outboards.
(photo By Clint) |
"Sorry
no pics of the surf stuff, weather too bad to take a camera
out, and we to busy having fun"!
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