Photos & Words by Josie H.
On Tuesday, the sailing cohort visited the Vancouver island coastguard. We started our day with a tour of the small coastguard search and rescue boats, and proceeded to have a tour of how these boats were managed and fixed. We learned about the difference between the coastguard and RCMP boats, and how the coastguard manages all their repairs locally with their own staff, instead of bringing in an outside hire. We then got to look at some of the larger search and rescue boats that had been brought out of the water for repair. At this time, we got to learn about some boating anatomy. We learned about collaboration when our tour guide talked about the communication that needed to be shared between the coast guard and the science department. Part of the coast guard's duties is to supply the science department with the technology and transportation they need in order to collect data on the water. They talked about the importance of good problem solving skills when they were figuring out how they would get certain scientific equipment available on board their ships.
Before we broke for lunch, we took a detour to check out the water traffic management department. We were all taken aback by the technology being used and the elaborate setup. We learned just how important that department was, as their responsibility includes practically all waters immediately surrounding the island.
After lunch we made our way towards the massive, ferry-like coast guard boats, and had a full tour of both the inside and outside. Inside, we were introduced to the importance of the equipment up on the bridge, and the convenience it is able to serve to the captain. We also learned a little about leadership and responsibility, because if that technology fails in harsh conditions, there needs to be crew on board who are able to manage the boat without depending on technology.
While we were taking this tour we made sure to ask some questions about sustainability. We learned the statistics in terms of how much fuel per hour each of the vessels use. We also learned that there are some other alternatives that are being used or thought of within the coastguard. One was switching over to bio-diesel. The captain talked about some of the efficiency issues that came with this, and talked about another alternative that has been talked about - a hybrid solution. Something incredibly interesting that we learned was how significant the science aspect of the coast guard is. There was a surprising amount of equipment aboard the vessel that was dedicated to ocean research and ocean floor mapping.
To end our day, we went to the Shaw Center of the Salish sea. We learned about some endangered species and were lucky enough to see both an octopus and an eel come out of their hiding places within their aquariums. We learned about ocean safety in terms of whales and other large water animals, and had the chance to peer down microscopes at anemones, sea stars, cucumbers, and urchins.
Despite the cold temperatures, our cohort had a very enjoyable, and valuable time. We got to learn about leadership and sustainability in some very unique and interesting ways. We are all excited for what the rest of our experiential program has in store.