Mariners-in-training get a lesson in surviving Arctic waters

Swimming in Frobisher Bay in October is not everyone's idea of a fun time but for sailors who hope to navigate Arctic waters it's a necessary skill to have.

This morning a group of sailors in training braved the frigid waters near Iqaluit to practise abandoning ship. It's something people who want to work on fishing vessels or sealift ships have to learn and mandatory training required by Transport Canada.

Today's lesson was on getting into the water in a survival suit and getting into a life raft.

"It's not cold at all," said Kyle Aglukkaq, one of the students taking the course.

"The emergency suit keeps you dry — you do get a little bit of water in the gloves."

The class is run by the Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium, which trains between 200 and 300 people a year from across the territory. It's the only organization offering marine safety training in the Arctic.

Randy Pittman, the program's co-ordinating instructor, says the initial training is focused on safety.

"It's indispensable," he says.

"When you're at sea, you can't call the fire department, you can't call the ambulance. You're out there, you have to deal with the situation on your own. The nearest ship could be hundreds of miles or thousands of miles away."   

Pittman says last year's incident when the F/V Saputi hit ice off Baffin Island and limped to shore in Greenland was a reminder of why safety training is critical.

"We want to ensure that when they actually go to sea and get those good jobs on the ships, that they first off are safe," he says.

The in-water training allows students to become familiar with key safety equipment such as life rafts.

"Knowing exactly what to do in an emergency is critical," says Pittman.

He says being able to do the drills in Frobisher Bay is much better preparation than having to conduct the training indoors in a pool.