Atmospheric Pool for Sea Survival

[john_morris_uk]

There used to be a fun filled day out at one in Horsea Lake in Portsmouth.

After a morning of lectures one would be invited to don a once only suit, climb a high board and jump in to a rather smelly and freezing cold lake. Especially in February. Then swim to the liferaft and if you are an early arrival, help to turn it the right way up before climbing in. Once fully boarded, being towed up and down the lake by a rib can add that extra level of realism by inducing vomiting amongst probably half of the survivors.
Joy. Oh and for the best experience it should be raining.

Only snag really is that you have to join the Navy first.......

The last time I enjoyed that experience I made the mistake of swimming a bit too enthusiastically and getting to the life raft first. As you will recall, first one in the raft (according to RN SOP’s is in charge for initial phase. My enthusiasm lumbered me with having to direct those arriving into their various tasks.

Unfortunately none of the tasks involved handing me hot soup and a tot.

Plenty of helmets presumably.

And plenty of puppies frolicking in waves?

 

[pagoda]

The last time I enjoyed that experience I made the mistake of swimming a bit too enthusiastically and getting to the life raft first. As you will recall, first one in the raft (according to RN SOP’s is in charge for initial phase. My enthusiasm lumbered me with having to direct those arriving into their various tasks.

Unfortunately none of the tasks involved handing me hot soup and a tot.

And plenty of puppies frolicking in waves?

Cut, close, cover, maintain? If I recall correctly

 

[capnsensible]

The water was always nice and warm with no waves in the Submarine Escape Training Tank. ?

 

[ashtead]

Nice pool in Poole should you wish to visit one and observe without getting wet. Don't know if they rent out out unless for services usage but would be good for team building events if they did.

 

[zoidberg]

Having been mil aircrew in several places, I was processed through a number of Sea Survival courses. One of them was in Simonstown, near Cape Town, where the 'sharp end' involved escape from a 'practice' small helicopter cabin, together with another candidate. This device operated on a long arm mounted on a quayside trailer, which was rotated down into the sea sharply enough to rattle one's teeth, then the cabin was rotated up, down and round - to disorient we 'victims', and to let the sea flood in. When the music stopped, the briefed task was to release our seat harnesses, then swim out the ONE window which was capable of being opened. Of course, that proved to be on MY side, and of course I encouraged my companion to climb over me to get out first.

It wasn't the fact that I was BSAC-trained and a quite capable swimmer that led to my conspicuous courtesy in sending my fellow victim out first but - as I explained in the debrief - I was acutely aware that the waters of False Bay and Simonstown ( https://www.google.com/maps/place/False+Bay/) were infested with sharks large and larger..... including a concentration of Great Whites.

You get my drift? So also did the Sea Survival instructor.....