Also when growing up everyone remembers their Mom telling them not to stick your finger in that outlet and some of us just had to see why we shouldn't, well same goes when doing this job.  We started out launching the boat bow first which isn't really the right way to operate.  It was working but it was much more difficult pulling the boat back out of the current.  After about 10 evolutions he came to shore and asked us if we would do anything different.  Bill Conlon thought we should turn the boat around and go stern first.  Now Walter liked that we were thinking, but the good part you did see it could work but not efficient.  After going back in we did several more and it was much better.  What was impressive was that all the line work we did we really kept everything running pretty smoothly.  Also Walter decided to make it more realistic he would take his vest off and we had to pull him the boat or just grab him which was more difficult.

We then went back to work on GO RESCUES but this time the current was a lot quicker in the section he picked.  With the movement of the water faster you had to time yourself even more than the first day’s training.  We also set up the buoy ahead of them but it was also more difficult with a lot of rocks playing in the way.  After about 20 scenarios being done I saw so much more confidence in all the Team Members.

We then floated down the rest of the course and went to the boat house.  We pulled out a 7 passenger raft and along with our boat we practiced rowing.  Now if we had a weak point this was it.  We really didn’t have a good concept on rowing but after an hour in the boats we started working as a Team.  He had us take it across the low head dam and basically surf through it.  Yes this was little crazy, but we expected this.  With several us getting thrown out of the boat and a lot of laughter, everyone was itching to go through the course in the boat, well not every one of us.

I watch the boat head out and start through the course and saw everyone having fun, but latter when I saw Chief come walking back up from the path and holding his head, I wasn’t sorry I sat it out.  The Team did have a good time and actually did it twice and was doing really well till Walter decided to jump out and see how far they could get without him.  It wasn’t too far, as they all went for a ride and kissed the water.  The neat thing to see was our small boat goes through the course and they did very well with it.

 Another year in the book and allot of training we just can’t get at home.  The experience will help us I’m sure but the comrade we built is something you just can’t buy.  Next year’s dates are set and we are planning night training which again will be crazy, but what else would you expect from Crazy Walter.  Oh and one last thing we have a shirt now to prove it.   Photos from Day 2