Boat School!

With this being an island park, there is an abundant need for employees to be able to operate watercraft in park waters for official purposes. This year Marshall conducted the largest Motorboat Operator Certification Course (MOCC) undertaken by the park. As all of the staff this year was new at Snug Harbor, four employees were slated for MOCC training during their second week on the island. So let us begin with those who we put in charge while paid employees undertook MOCC...



Here we have Michelle catching a line from the IR Queen. After only being on the island for a week and undergoing a week of training, it was up to SCA interns Michelle and Casey to run the Rock Harbor VC, greet both the Queen and the Ranger, conduct orientations and issue permits. Without their dedication, MOCC training for the RH interp staff would have been very difficult.



While some MOCC training was in the classroom, a good portion of it was outside along the water learning several different safety techniques. Here we have backcountry Lucas throwing a line to an overboard person (buoy). Lucas's previous life as a firefighter made this look easy.



Another safety aspect of the course was the proper use of fire extinguishers, which is properly demonstrated here by Shane.



Here, Cabby learns first hand how to handle a smoke signal, one of the many visual distress signals carried on the park's boats.



Once again we have backcountry Lucas demonstrating how to safely use a parachute flare.



Donning a survival suit in order for MOCC participants to practice rescuing overboard persons from the water, Tom demonstrates the butterfly.



In this photo Tom is safely rescued from the water by Caitlin and Shane...



...and then returned to the drink by Shane so the next group can try.

Backcountry Ranger Rob, the special topic instructor for the land based safety modules in the course, utilizes a boat hook to rescue Tom from the water.



In addition to the MOCC course, Mott island also hosted the MOCC recertification course. While the photographer for this blog sprinted back to the classroom in hopes of getting a photo of Phyllis in a survival suit, he was too late. However he did get this photo of James returning from the drink.

MOCC was a great experience for the staff at Snug Harbor. Unfortunately the photographer for the Snug Harbor Reporter was not able to photograph the water based portions of the course, but the course did include sections on hands on watercraft operation, knot tying and a final practical. Once again we would like to extend our thanks to our wonderful SCA interns for manning the Rock Harbor VC, and we would also like to send out a special thanks to the instructors who made the training a whole lot of fun. Next up on the reporter, interp's trip to passage island.