Lights
switch off for 3SQN
By
CPL Luke Barry
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LAC
Anthony Hopkin concentrates on abseiling into a cave during
Exercise Tunnel Rat.
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Exercise
participants take a rest break.
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Exercise
Tunnel Rat challenged people’s initiative and
skills while caving and abseiling.
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NO.
3 Squadron members challenged themselves caving, abseiling and
white water rafting during recent training at Wee Jasper.
Late last year 3SQN Ancillary Maintenance Section held Exercise
Tunnel Rat, which was a good icebreaker and got many members out
of their comfort zone.
To conduct the planned activities safely, 3SQN Ancillary Maintenance
Section was split into four groups, with senior leading aircraftmen
and women and junior corporals appointed as team leaders.
Four members from No. 381 Expeditionary Combat Support Squadron
PTI section took the groups one at a time into the labyrinth of
cave systems surrounding the area for an introduction to caving
and abseiling.
It started out relatively tame, but a gradual progression saw
members doing “lights out” activities and squeezing through areas
that looked impossible to negotiate at first.
It was an unfamiliar environment for most participants and the
majority of people found themselves either physically or mentally
challenged more than once. On the final day, the bravest and boldest
stepped up to the plate for extreme caving.
The challenge was to abseil through a vertical fissure, with lights
off, into a large underground cavern. From there, individual team
leaders had to navigate their way, with the aid of a cave map,
to a predetermined location.
Along
the way they encountered stalagmites, stalactites, mud, bats,
guano (bat droppings) and some particularly tight holes and passageways
that were very awkward to wriggle through.
The final challenge was to crawl through a narrow tunnel with
harness on, abseil 15m to the next level and then find their way
out. Everyone who participated returned to camp wet, filthy and
exhausted but with a great sense of achievement.
The exercise was deemed a roaring success.
