David Sentance - Aberdovey, Wales, 1970

It was a force nine gale in the Irish Sea, waves were crashing over our fibre-glass canoes as we desperately tried to keep them trimmed waves forward. We rafted up to ride out the gale. Two of the biggest Georgdies on the group froze in fear as they were unable to swim. Gradually we coaxed them to the safety of the raft. When we finally surfed ashore it was a total mind rush as we skidded down the waves and plunged into the next trough. On making the beach,nothing was said, all knew what had gone on and from that moment our watch, which has been regarded as the worst in several years, took on a power of cohesion that saw us sink our regional differences and class backgrounds so effectively that we became the top watch for the remaining two weeks.One of the watch members got the warden's award. He was the smallest guy on the group. It was that stormy wave lashed day that gave him the courage to be himself and trust his own judgement.