Bat school continued in the swimming pool at Maroubra today, the new recruits completing their HUET (Helicopter Underwater Escape Training), which saw them strapped into one of these Helipet cages and submerged upside down before making an escape through the false window. I have an image of them all being wrapped up in a white sheet and tied with ropes beforehand but apparently that's Harry Houdini.
And like a packet of hobnobs, they required multiple dunkings, four in total, each with a different theme, things like "Crikey the escape route is blocked" and "Crikey it's all gone dark", the latter achieved through wearing blackout goggles.
After that they learned to survive in water by helping each other keep warm. You can survive for two hours in water temperatures of ten degrees but twice as long if you huddle together. And if you need a wee you should do it in the middle, which is charming, I know, but helps keeps everyone's legs warm.
And then they tried on some life jackets and started making involuntary movements, pointing out the nearest exits and demonstrating the brace position. He'll be trying to flog me a duty-free fridge next.
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