Ten Coastguard graduates were awarded with their certificates on Sunday at Whitianga Coastguard headquarters. There is lots of comment these days about young people scrolling all day on their phones when not at school. That might be true for some but there is no chance of graduating as a Coastguard Cadet without weeks of hard work – mental, physical and formal learning. These ten young people have succeeded in their twelve week course studying VHF (radio operating) competence, Day skippers course, First Aid and In Water Survival
They operated in two teams of five over the twelve weeks – Port and Starboard. This course is a partnership with Mercury Bay Area School and Coastguard Boating Education. Coastguard provides the trainers who, for this course, were Peter Hari, Graham Caddy, Martin Little and behind the scenes Diane Phillips doing administration.
The cadets are assisted in their training by two safety officers, Bianca Raynel and Connor Moses who are previously graduated cadets and are themselves students at MBAS. The Informer spoke to Stuart Brown, President of Coastguard Whitianga. “Without these volunteer trainers and
safety officers, these cadets could not receive their preparation to join Coastguard. This service saves lives and there is a lot of responsibility and knowledge involved for these young people to
take in. Our community should be very proud of them and their willingness to step up.” Stuart and Diane Brown do a great deal for Coastguard and are owners of Whitianga Chandlery.
Names of those pictured on front page: Cadets on top row in order from left to right is – Liam Fussell, Rohan Percival, Mason Sherman, Slade Harper, Liam Clothier, Lincoln Pepper, Nation
Johnston, Ward Coleman, Sam Thomas, (away Jack Nash-Penwarden). Trainers (front row): Graham Caddy, Bianca Raynel, Connor Moses, Pete Hari, Diane Phillips, Martin Little.
