Students and adults alike got a rich lesson in teamwork, as well as a chance to hone water rescue and kayaking skills, during a rescue drill staged last week at Richmond Island.

Nineteen students in Scott Shea's Phys. Ed. Adventure class at Cape Elizabeth High School participated in the drill, used as a training exercise for the Cape Elizabeth Water Extrication Team, as well as for a rescue unit from Scarborough and for the U.S. Coast Guard.

The drill took place the night of Nov. 12 and was combined with an overnight kayaking/camping experience on the island. It is the second year Shea has taken the Phys. Ed. Adventure class on an overnight,  but the first to incorporate a multi-town, multi-unit rescue drill.

"Usually you don't get too many volunteers to capsize in a kayak," said Shea, explaining how the students staged situations that local water rescue units could be faced with.

Shea said he got the idea for a mock rescue during last year's overnight, when the Cape WET was involved with an actual rescue of two kayakers who were not with the student group. Shea said he had to call parents that night to notify them that their sons and daughters were all right, and were not involved with the mishap.

Part of this year's exercise involved Shea and students staging scenarios for volunteers to execute a rescue, including a case of hypothermia, a spinal injury, and a victim unconscious in the water. "A couple of people capsized," said Shea. "And there's a place called Watts Ledge, a couple of people were left up there," he said.

The scenario also included a situation where there was one more kayak in the water than there were kayakers, so that rescue personnel had to ascertain whether a kayaker might be lost.

"The coordination went well," Shea said. The twist of a seemingly missing kayaker tested communication between rescue units from the two towns, and of the Coast Guard boat that was standing by.

WET 1st Lt. Frank Mackie said the exercise went well, and that although the students were cold by the end of the night, it was a good lesson for everyone. "It's always good to get out there," he said, explaining how the rescue benefits Cape Elizabeth water rescue. The Scarborough unit, which has had less experience than the Cape unit in the water, also benefitted, as did the students. "It's good for the kids to see what we do," Mackie said. And, "I think they have a new respect for hypothermia," he said.

Adventure Phys. Ed. is an elective course offered in the fall semester at the High School, with seniors getting first chance to sign up. Students must have completed two of the High School's phys. ed courses. Students learn sea kayaking, mountain biking, hiking, orienteering and climbing techniques as well as first aid and CPR. Outdoor Adventure classes are combined with trips to local ponds, rivers, trails and climbing facilities.

This year's overnight included a bit of meteorology as well, as students monitored weather to gauge when it would be safest to head home during high winds pelting the coast on the morning of Nov. 13. Winds reached 30 mph that morning, but students took advantage of a lull in wind velocity forecasted for before 8 a.m.

Safety precautions were taken, but Shea said he was confident in both the students' kayaking skills and their ability to handle an emergency situation should it occur.

Most impressive, however, was the students' ability to work together and share responsibilities. "It was like one big happy family," Shea said.

High School teachers Mark Pendarvis and Elaine Brassard accompanied Shea with the students.

Mackie said he hopes the class will do another water rescue next year.