After Thanksgiving break, Bravo Team reconvened for a day of drills, rowing, singing and snacking.  We had a chance to share a gratitude from Thanksgiving.  Folks reported: good friends, good food, games, a trip to Portland, a trip to Standing Rock, and a time to rest.  We also had a chance to celebrate Bravo Team’s hosting of Northwest Maritime Center donors (see the last blog entry “A Chance to Show Off Our Skills”) and talk about the successes as a team.

New to this week was an introduction to ‘count off.’  In an emergency situation, we need to be able to get an efficient survey of who is present and accounted for.  We practiced a few times (up to 13 since that was our crew number) and got into pairs to stuff our appropriately sized exposure suits.  All pieces of the puzzle were lined up for a ‘squall drill.’  But first we needed to get all the gear loaded onto Townshend and row out of the marina.  Gabe was our coxswain and he did a fine job of getting us safely out of the marina with a slight southerly.

Captain Sonia surprised everyone with a MOB drill as there was a guest aboard – Lara Gaasland-Tatro who will be captaining longboats with the Girls Boat Project coming up in 2017.  It was a great opportunity to showcase Bravo Team’s ability to retrieve a fender, use rowing commands, and work as a team.  Then we started our squall drill with a count off.

Realizations from the drill were that it’s not easy to put on an exposure suit over raingear, boots, and pfds.  With the help of teammates, most people were able to put on their exposure suit and others realized they needed a larger size.  Drills help us hone our skills, learn more about our gear, and practice teamwork.  Lots of laughter and smiles throughout as well.

A well-earned snack break on the anchor, then a Moment of Silence happened before we rowed back into Point Hudson Marina as a light drizzle ended the day of ever-changing weather.  Just one more week before our Holiday Party and then Holiday Break!

Thanks for continuing to follow Bravo Team!