Eighteen Prince Rupert youth gained some unforgettable experiences this past summer when they left the confines of the North Coast and participated in some training exercises down south.
Travelling to HMCS Quadra, a cadet summer training centre, the North Coast teens, who are normally part of the 007 Captain Cook Royal Canadian Sea Cadet Corps in Prince Rupert, got some exposure to everything from playing the saxophone to sailing boats, to rope-work.
Four first-year sea cadets from Prince Rupert took part in the introductory two-week general training course at Quadra, the Department of National Defence base at Comox Harbour on Vancouver Island.
Jade Lattes, Tommy Ly, Justice Polyck and Ben Ridgeway took the two-week course. They got a taste of sailing, music, seamanship and drill, ceremony and leadership activities – all courses that can be specialized in later years and programs.
Ly was even awarded Cadet of the Week and was rewarded with a rare invitation to eat dinner with the commanding officer.
Older cadets specialized at Quadra this past summer, including Zackery Dawe and Danielle Robertson who took the three-week long basic sail course. After learning how to sail double-handed sailboats, each cadet earned their CanSail Level Two.
Aaron Hagstrom and Vincent Tram chose to attend the basic drill and ceremony program, which included things like marching and performing ceremonial drill maneuvers.
Henry Vo took the musical route and earned his Level Two in alto saxophone, a certification normally reserved for more mature-level courses.
Angelina Potornay, Aden Kane and Nicholas Vickers got hands-on experience with ropes, rigging lifting devices, teamwork and more water activities in the basic seamanship course and Vickers even received the top cadet honour in basic seamanship out of the many that attended the course in all of western Canada.
Zachary Wesley, Jason Rioux and Christian McKay took the more advanced six-week courses at Quadra. Wesley specialized in ships boat operator training, which involved the Rupertite learning how to operate a powerboat, use flags and pennants and learn more about marine navigation. Wesley received a number of accolades and certifications, including his standard first aid qualification, pleasure craft operator competency card and restricted radio operator’s certificate.
Rioux learned how to be an instructor for drill and ceremonial activities, which he can use in Prince Rupert. He also participated in the honour guard at the Ceremony of the Flags in Victoria.
McKay developed his skills in intermediate sail, while earning CanSail Level Three.
Helen Vo and Amber Ly took the sports and fitness leadership and air rifle marksmanship instructor training courses respectively at other cadet bases in southern B.C.
And Captain Cook’s coxswain, Jacob Holowachuk, took part in his second international exchange this past summer in Hong Kong, learning the traditions and values with other Canadian Sea Cadet travellers across the Pacific.
To learn more about how to get involved with the 007 Captain Cook Prince Rupert Sea Cadets, visit online at rcscc7.wixsite.com/home