Another merit Badge for the Brownie Sash

I took a British Canoe Union assessment yesterday. I got the new two-star rating, which is the highest awarded in this assessment. I was with a group of about a dozen, mostly women. Only three or four of us got the two star.

It was an all day affair. We had three coaches; we paddled north and split into three groups around a mooring area that was, on a beautiful holiday weekend, mostly clear. Basically, we had to make tight turns, spin in place, go in reverse, and edge- put the boat on its side without rolling in. There are different techniques for each, and we had to demonstrate them. It isn't always clear which to use. The assessor might say "got may a figure eight turn around those two buoys" and you're supposed to show three of for different strokes.

After that we had lunch, then did assisted and self- rescues. I totally flubbed my first self-rescue and asked to o it again. We also - and this is part of the new rating - had to maneuver a canoe using specific technique. Paddling a canoe after becoming proficient in kayaking is like driving a Winnebago or a tractor-trailer after driving for years in a car. We all practiced ahead of time, and we all thought that was the worst part of our assessment.

Truly though, they weren't happy with our rescues. We're all too slow and fumbling. So, more practice. I was encouraged to go on fewer trips and spend more time perfecting my technique.

Everyone took it so seriously - the tension in the morning was thick. So, I just started telling people not to worry, the worst that would happened would be to not get another merit badge for the brownie sash. Then again, I did obtain mine.