Staff Training Day in Punta Gruesa!

Whilst the volunteers were gallivanting around the Yucatan Peninsular for their long weekend we, the staff of Punta Gruesa, grabbed the opportunity to refresh our boat driving skills and make sure we are all top notch boat captains!

First things first we made sure that the weekly beach clean was completed. The clean must be done every Friday morning to ensure accuracy of the data collected. So the staff plus volunteers Corwin and Carla grabbed some sacks and took the stroll down the stunning stretch of coastline.

After the rubbish has been weighed and the data entered we moved on the training session. It began with Raph leading us through some theoretical boat driving practices. At times the onshore wind makes it necessary for us all to be able to skilfully manoeuvre the boat through bumpy waves so sharing our knowledge and techniques makes us better equipped to do so with ease.

After the ‘classroom session’ we were eager to get on to the practical side. Firstly we went to the boats to go through the daily checks. Raph set the boats up with various problems for us to solve. We all managed to find each problem quickly and rectify them before heading out to the open seas!

Out on the water we practiced the ‘man overboard’ scenario where Raph unexpectedly threw himself over the side and watched our lighting fast reactions. Followed by testing our abilities to throw a life ring and deal with a suspected case of Decompression Illness.

Making sure we all know how to follow our Emergency Actions Plans is extremely important for ensuring the safety of all our volunteers and staff. By the end of the day we were all satisfied and quietly boasting that our boat driving and emergency response skills are more than up to scratch!

We look forward to welcoming back the volunteers, hearing about their adventures and getting stuck in to week 5!

Staff Training Day in Punta Gruesa!