Royal Navy personnel took to the Isle of Man for a week of activities courtesy of the Adventurous Training (AT) team.
From mountain biking to Stand Up Paddleboarding, sailors from various backgrounds came together to participate in the week of activities organised by Lt Cdr Wood and PO Cole.
Lt Cdr Mathieu Kuhn attended the week having never tried mountain biking before and nervous about trying it for the first time, but said, ‘the trails were great and the tips given by Ben and Smokey allowed me to go everywhere in good conditions and with confidence!
‘More than getting beyond our limits in sport, it was also a fabulous opportunity to meet people, to talk together about our background, and to get out of the office in order to regenerate. Mixing ranks and profiles in the team was really successful and enabled us to have really interesting discussions.
‘I think during this AT event we’ve learned a lot about ourselves but also about each other, as we helped each other and supported each other in difficulties.
‘Most of all, we’ve seen beautiful sceneries and learned part of the Isle of Man history.’
SLt Katherine Hill managed to squeeze in the week of AT amidst a busy working schedule and taking over as DLO Catering Services onboard The Prince of Wales (PWLS). SLt Hill said, ‘from a junior officer perspective, the self-guided walk was a great opportunity to further the leadership skills acquired on JOLC 1 and enabled me to build rapport with a number of ABs serving on PWLS.
‘I was keen to undertake some form of AT on completion of my Op Tour in Bahrain, with Ex Manx Venture taking place at the ideal time to suit my needs. It was a nice opportunity to decompress from the stressors of a high-intensity environment, keeping me challenged whilst helping me to transition out of the operational mindset. Having completed AT, I feel rejuvenated, ready to enjoy summer leave and primed to take on the challenges of my new role.’
Royal Marine Jacob Kaneen found the AT week a useful opportunity to engage with Royal Navy ranks that he would otherwise not have the opportunity to engage with, saying, ‘this was a great opportunity to be alongside Navy ranks for the week which is uncommon outside of deployments within the Corps.
‘This allowed for the development of professional relationships and enhanced my understanding of the structure within the Navy - I believe if more RM/RN ranks had the opportunity for this, it would enhance interoperability across both services whilst deployed.’
Fellow Marine on the exercise, Cpl George Fowler, had been away from the Royal Marines for nearly four years and had ‘greatly missed the camaraderie inherent to a troop or unit.
‘The balance achieved during the week—between relaxation and pushing beyond our comfort zones into the “stretch zone”—was ideal. I acquired many new skills and forged meaningful friendships. I am hopeful that this exercise will continue in the future, as it holds immense value.’
Everyone on the exercise embraced the challenge of engaging with the whole force attitude and learning new skills. AB Christie said, ‘I have had a positive and amazing experience. Having these types of AT opportunities, I feel would benefit and help others from other units and ships, or those in PSG, to boost their morale, interest, and re-spark pride and meaning of being part of the Royal Navy.
‘I feel more confident and excited for the RN going forward and it has given me the reason to stay long term. The IOM AT instructors have been professional and respectful throughout.
‘It has taught me there is more to leadership, it’s about looking after your people, it’s about being organised before planning an activity, having awareness and being responsible for others health & safety in moderation. Having learned this I can take this with me into leadership.
‘There was never a time during this AT that I felt ignored, left behind, unsafe or unchallenged. I feel with confidence that I can actually go out, plan and do these activities for myself.’
There is a vast amount of opportunities to get involved with Royal Navy Adventurous Training as an individual or a unit. If you would like to learn more about what is available to you, get in touch or contact your unit PTI.
