Derek Neary
Northern News Services

(Aug 12/05) - Being suspended in a harness and whipping along 100 feet over a body of water would give a lot of people butterflies in their stomachs.

James Simon, of Fort Simpson, emerges from the chilly water following a canoe-handling exercise. He is in Whitehorse on a six-week cadet leader instructor (adventure) course.

It did for Jackie Norwegian. But the 13-year-old from Fort Simpson conquered her fear of "zip-lining" at a two-week basic cadet course in Whitehorse.

"I was scared," Norwegian admitted. But after trying it "I wanted to go again," she said.

She also tried horseback riding, shooting an air rifle and camping before returning to Fort Simpson on July 29.

Fellow cadet James Simon has also done some zip-lining - sliding down a cable between cliffs.

Part of a 30-person platoon in the six-week cadet leader instructor (adventure) course, Simon took part in a four-day canoe expedition on the Teslin and Yukon rivers and learned about water safety.

He rappelled down the side of a cliff and went whitewater rafting.

He participated in a "patrol march," hiking through the bush for four days, eight hours a day.

He managed to avoid getting blisters on his feet.

Simon also fired off rounds from a C-7 assault rifle.

It's all been exhilarating.

"We just go right for it," he said.

"They (the instructors) give us the heads-up and go over the safety precautions before we do it, and what to do in emergency situations. Then we basically plunge into it."

A 17-year-old who was promoted to sergeant a few weeks before leaving for Whitehorse, Simon admitted that he has been sleeping well at night.

"It's tiring but it's worth waking up," he said.

"It may take a lot of work but it's worth the work."

While at the camp, which has included some classroom lessons, Simon has met cadets from all across Canada, England, Scotland and Ireland.

A graduation ceremony will be held Thursday. He's due back in Fort Simpson on Friday.

With five years of experience, he will pass on some of these adventure skills to other Fort Simpson army cadets over the next year.

The Fort Simpson cadet unit meets Thursday nights during the school year.