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Terry Keevil - Aberdovey, Wales, 1957
Course 171. Jericho Watch. 27/7/1957 to 22/08/1957
Remembering: Those 6am dips in the River Dovey, trying not cripple ourselves on the shale. When the weather was bad, the trip to the cold water showers. It was a toss up which was worse. Lifeboat drill. Swinging the Davits and lowering the lifeboat. Until we got it right. Trying to get to the end of the slippery pole attached to the end of the jetty. Falling off into the sea and trying again. The 3 day hike to the cabin, to help the Forestry people to clear brambles that were choking the young trees. While we were there damming the stream so we could bathe.
Also learning how to chop logs with double headed axes, without removing a foot in the process. We were requested to do Lifeguard duty on the Dovey sands. One person was a lookout at the end of the Jetty spotting anybody in difficulty. He would alert the rest of us on the sands by ringing a bell and pointing in the direction of the person in need of assistance. The equipment we had, was a large reel with rope around. The end of the rope was attached to a harness. When the bell sounded the lifeguard (which was me on this occasion) put the harness on and ran into the surf and swam as fast he could to rescue the person in distress. The rest of the team would hold the rope above their heads to reduce the drag in the water. When the lifeguard had got to the person in distress and restrained him, he would raise his arm up out of the water. The rest of the team would then reel both people in, saving the lifeguards energy. This went well except on this occasion the team were so enthusiastic, they continued to drag the lifeguard (me) up the beach and in doing so leaving my trunks around my ankles.
When they tried to take the distressed person off me it was a fight to save my modesty. It took a while to get the sand out of my trunks. We laughed about it afterwards, as we had attracted quite a crowd, and our instructor came over to congratulate us all on doing a fine job. The 3 day sail to Barmouth and out into the bay was very hairy with some choppy swells, but we survived it just. So many good times.
Remembering: Those 6am dips in the River Dovey, trying not cripple ourselves on the shale. When the weather was bad, the trip to the cold water showers. It was a toss up which was worse. Lifeboat drill. Swinging the Davits and lowering the lifeboat. Until we got it right. Trying to get to the end of the slippery pole attached to the end of the jetty. Falling off into the sea and trying again. The 3 day hike to the cabin, to help the Forestry people to clear brambles that were choking the young trees. While we were there damming the stream so we could bathe.
Also learning how to chop logs with double headed axes, without removing a foot in the process. We were requested to do Lifeguard duty on the Dovey sands. One person was a lookout at the end of the Jetty spotting anybody in difficulty. He would alert the rest of us on the sands by ringing a bell and pointing in the direction of the person in need of assistance. The equipment we had, was a large reel with rope around. The end of the rope was attached to a harness. When the bell sounded the lifeguard (which was me on this occasion) put the harness on and ran into the surf and swam as fast he could to rescue the person in distress. The rest of the team would hold the rope above their heads to reduce the drag in the water. When the lifeguard had got to the person in distress and restrained him, he would raise his arm up out of the water. The rest of the team would then reel both people in, saving the lifeguards energy. This went well except on this occasion the team were so enthusiastic, they continued to drag the lifeguard (me) up the beach and in doing so leaving my trunks around my ankles.
When they tried to take the distressed person off me it was a fight to save my modesty. It took a while to get the sand out of my trunks. We laughed about it afterwards, as we had attracted quite a crowd, and our instructor came over to congratulate us all on doing a fine job. The 3 day sail to Barmouth and out into the bay was very hairy with some choppy swells, but we survived it just. So many good times.