Ropes and Metal

      I'm trying to write this post while at the reception desk on a Saturday morning. Despite the fact that there is nothing going on at the Acticity Centre, in the White House and Conference Centre it's incredibly busy. At least I'm experienced enough now that I can answer most questions and tell the right people the right information. So far I have not messed anything up too badly.
   The big news from the first week of November was that Eric, Blum, Soo Young, Chiara, Benjamin and I  began training to become Level 2 ropes instructors. As a Level 2 we're certified to run Zip Wire, 3G Swing, Aerial Trek and Fan Descender. All of these involved wearing instructor harness with 'cow tails': two ropes attached to the harness with clips on the end that allow the instructor to safely stand on the platform or hang off the poles. To get up the poles we clip cab-locks to our harness which run along a wire all the way up the pole. Then we climb up the pole on the staples. It can be slightly unnerving because even though I know I'm safe it feels like I'm climbing a 15 foot pole with nothing to stop me falling.
   I find the set up for the 3G Swing especially difficult because it involves carying a very heavy pulley with a lot of rope up the highest pole. There is no platform at the top of the pole, unlike on Zip Wire and Fan Descender, which means once I get to the top of the pole, I need to clip in my cow tails and other safety clip and hang off the pole. I then have to reach around the pole and with both hands take the very heavy pulley and lift it almost above my head onto an eyebolt. It's easier if the person is stronger and taller but we girls found if quite difficult. The one good thing is that the view from the top of the pole is pretty amazing, not that I really had time to look.
   I think Zip Wire is the most fun of all Level 2 activities to run, but setting up is still a little difficult for me. Really I just need more practice.
   Fan Descender is one of the high ropes activities. The participant climbs up to a platform where the Level to instructor is. They are clipped onto and then hold a metal bar. The metal bar is attached to a wire which runs up and along a beam. At the end of the wire is a fan. When the participant steps off the platform the fan slows their descent, making the land gracefully on the ground. Well, sometimes they land gracefully, sometimes the fall over.
   Aerial Trek is inside. It really is not that far off the ground compared to other activities. Particpants get clipped in two different ways, then climb up the wall to a platform,clip themselves into the next set of clips and then unclip from the first. They then walk along the rope to the next platform and do the same thing. There are 3 sections to Aerial Trek and then they climb down. Nice and easy right? Except almost without fail this activity terrifies people more than the other ones because the participants are respnsible for clipping themselves in and out. So as the Level 2 instructor we have to be prepared to rescue them at all times. This means wearing our cow tails during the session and if someone gets too scared to continue (or God forbid passes out) we have to climb up with a rescue bag and attached ourselves to the wire and the rescue rope to them. Then, using our body weight, or the body weight of another instructor on the ground, we need to winch them up enough to unclip them from the wire and then lower them safely to the ground.
   Phil and Emma made us practice this so many times, because it can be very dangerous if done wrong, and it needs to be done quickly so as not to cause further injury to the casualty. I must say that being rescued is incredibly uncomfortable and when rescuing someone much bigger than me I had to practically jump to winch them up. According to the leads, Aerial Trek rescues happen fairly frequently.
   Originally Emma said I was not going to be a Level 2, though I had asked if I could be. The reason being is that Level 2 activities usually get booked on weekends and since I work reception most weekends, it means I would never have a weekend off. Then Emma decided that they could train me anyway and they just would not use me much. I'm fine with that, even just doing the training was a great experience and it's one more qualification to put on my resume. :)
 
  PS - I apologize for the lack of pictures, we did not really have time or free hands while we were training. Perhaps I will get a chance another time.