I am glad I left Auckland. I am a much happier me. The area around Warkworth is gorgeous and I will try to get photos after school some evening this week.
I am at the end of my first very busy week at the Mahurangi Technical Institute where I am taking my STCW95 training. Here are the highlights:
Monday Day 1 - Sea Survival: this was interesting. It was mostly class room theory but we did go out back where we inflated a survival raft in the back lot, set off several different types of handheld flares (hot and stinky things) behind the fire fighting 'shed' ... orange smoke, red flame, white flame, red smoke, impact, snap top, buoyant smoke... all sorts. Pew... they stink, they are hot and they are bright. We got to see all the survival equipment and supplies.
Tuesday Day 2 - Sea Survival: we were on a boat all day, actually on a partially enclosed barge, which is our practical class for Sea Survival and I survived quite well. We had to don life jackets and swim one at a time to the survival boat (lifeboat), flip it over to the upright position then climb in, jump out and swim against the current, wind and tide back to the boat where we were thrown a life ring to be hawled in. No ladders to climb into the survival craft or back onto the barge. Also had to don an exposure suit and do a swim around the boat. It is a huge, oversized 7mm neoprene one piece suit in a lovely shade of brilliant orange-red for easy visibility in even the worst weather conditions. Once in it completely, only the eyes show. Hard to breath in but once in the water it is quite cozey. Of course the smaller one (for us gals and a couple of the guys) had a leak in each hand so it slowly filled up with water. However, it was easy to just float in, which is what it is really meant for. Swimming is difficult because it is so stiff and oversized. It was pointed out to us that we may, in a real emergency, have to climb into the survival craft while wearing it. Gawd!!! I could barely climb into the raft as it was (remember, no ladder) so to have to do that in a suit... well that is where the team work comes in handy. We were told that we all did very well and passed that portion of the course.
While I did email that night there was a young fellow who lives in the hostel playing a piano... VERY WELL. There is an upright in the corner of the garage that serves as common room, laundry room and internet depot. It is a treat to listen to a live performance. He was playing again last night too. His repertoire is mostly jazz, blues and show tunes from the 1930s to current movie themes. He also plays lots of pop/rock from the 70s, 80s and 90s. I am surrounded by kids I could have given birth to and they all act it... giggling teenage girls whispered gossip and boys playing at the mating rituals and showing off their ability to consume large quantities of alcohol. You know the stuff I mean... a bit over the top for me (now that I'm not one of them... teeheehee) but they are young and I must have patience.
In town there is a restaurant/bar/cinema which is the only real evening entertainment in town except for a bunch of pubs. I have not had time for evening activities because of the reading workload I have every night but would like to check it out before I leave. Sunday night will be my last chance. I will get some photos of the villiage (population ~2500) to post to the blog. There is also an Arts and Crafts College here so it has a "University Town" feel to it but on a very small scale.
Wednesday Day 3 - Fire Fighting: I had 90 pages to read before bed Tuesday night in order to be prepared. I was only 78 pages prepared. Kept falling asleep and finally gave in around 12:30am. There was some morning theory and practice with tape on our breathing aparatus visors. We were wearing the SCBAs we learned to don for that fire exercise. They are referred to simply as a BA. We had to run around the building while wearing them, do push-ups in them, climb under a picnic table in them (no lifting the table) and lift heavy objects in them. Then in the afternoon we got into the fire and smoke chamber to put out fires and rescue a 60 Kg dummy, Fred, from a smoke filled 'boat'. Again, this is a team work excercise so I thought I should not have to lift that dummy alone. Wrong... had to drag him out on my own during the first exercise. The first is for 2 people to enter the burning compartments, find the fire and extinquish it.
The SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Aparatus) is a full face mask attached to an air cylinder on a metal backpack. Alot like wearing a SCUBA set.
Thursday Day 4 - Fire Fighting: There were three exercises in all Thursday. The first was for a 4 person team to enter the burning compartments, 2 people find the fire and extinquish it followed by the other 2 who search for the body (Fred) and rescue it. The second was the same but with a change of partners. And the third was similar but while the first 2 team members are exiting and my partner and I were rescuing Fred another fire starts in the companionway (surprise!) which needs to be extinquished by the other team while we waited in the small cabin where the body was.
The entry and exit is through a hatch in the roof with a ladder-like stairway (just like the cargo ships have). We were pretty filthy when we were done... covered in soot. Thank heavens for the coveralls, helmets, boots and breathing aparatus.
Well I passed my Fire Fighting with flying colours. After class I was talking with the tutor, who is a veteran (25 years) fire fighter with the city of Auckland. When it came out that I was 50 he looked positively shocked and said he was impressed by my agility and stamina. :-)) BIG smile. Big pride! He really seemed genuine about it too. It put a big smile on my face that lasted right through the dental work an hour afterwards.
Yes, got the broken tooth fixed today right after class. I was really wiped.
Today, Friday Day 5 - PSSR: Personal Safety and Social Responsibility. A short day... this course is all about behaviour onboard, responsibilities for safety at every level. The right to safety and security on the job and likely senerios that could be encountered on an ocean voyage. Much of it is geared towards huge ships (merchant mariners) but can be applied, with modifications, to any size ship/boat.
Each evening I had reading assignments and the Fire Fighting course includes a 134 page manual that needs erading. Something to put me to sleep tonight. I only have about 20 pages to go. Then the PSSR manual needs to be read but it is only 17 or 18 pages. We only skimmed through it in class today.
Tomorrow, Saturday, I will bus up to Opua to see 2 maybe 3 sailing yachts that are looking for crew. Non-paying but if the deal is good and I don't find a job I'll just go for a few weeks to Fiji or Australia or wherever for the trip and to get out of NZ long enough to get back in on a new visitors' visa... sort of like what lots of boaties do in South Africa to avoid the immigration office hastles. I have booked a room in a small B&B in Opua that has no name but the lady who owns it sounded very nice on the phone. I got her name from the Visitors' Info office in Warkworth.
Then I'm back on Sunday afternoon and I will have time to take photos of this area before I leave. Maybe I can catch a movie in town at the Millstream Bar & Grill.
First Aid classes start on Monday morning for 2 days. I will write all about that later.
Posted by gailene at April 2, 2004 07:17 PM