BCU Entanglements

I just finished a two day BCU Coach update course at Ginni Callahan's Slow Boat Farm on Puget Island in Washington State. Yesterday, we learned about all the changes in the new BCU coaching awards and performance (star) awards. Phil Hadley from Britain had us quickly very enthusiastic: whatever level we are at now, we now all WANT to attend the new BCU Level-1 course! The afternoon was spent mostly on the water discussing the remits for the new 3 and 4 star sea awards.
Today it was all about the new Foundation Safety & Rescue Training. It is a revamped Canoe Safety Test. And yes, it is now a training and not a test. There were some hairy rescue stories involving buoyancy aids, that had my heightened attention... Too many ropes and lanyards on my buoyancy aid to get entangled with.

What am I doing all across the ocean for a BCU update course? Tomorrow starts the Lower Columbia River Kayak Roundup. The second year running it is now an official BCU endorsed event. I am "updated" now. The more I know from the new BCU schemes, the more I can say that it is the way forward, despite all my 'entanglements'.