Sink or Swim: RN Cadets Take on the Royal Navy Swim Test

This week saw our cadets bravely fling themselves into the pool for the Royal Navy Swim Test — an annual rite of passage involving a lot of splashing, some surprisingly graceful strokes, and the occasional “doggy-paddle of doom.” After my safety brief (short, sharp, and mostly about not drowning), I stepped back and let our brand-new NCOs run the entire session. They did brilliantly — instructing, marshalling, supporting, and even managing to look authoritative in sliders!

Along the way, cadets developed those all-important C2DRIL skills:

Command & Control – obeying the NCOs (mostly).

Discipline – no bombing, despite strong temptation.

Decision-Making – sprint or conserve energy? (Some chose wrongly.)

Resilience – pushing through cramp, chlorine, and sinking feelings.

Initiative – offering rescue shouts from the poolside.

Leadership – NCOs steering the whole show.

And the results? Well… let’s just say not everyone passed. But that’s the point: it’s a test, not a pool party. Those who did pass can wear the achievement proudly. Those who didn’t… we’ll see you in the shallow end for extra practice.

All in all, it was a superb session — a big step up for the NCOs, a splash of humility for some, and a solid reminder that CCF isn’t always about the sea… sometimes it’s about surviving the swimming pool.

Thomas Brown - King's Bruton CCF RN SLt

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