Bowline

Jade suggested tying a bowline. It's a fixed loop that can be used for many different things. It's often used to make a loop used to pull people to safety. There's a little story that tells you how to make it!

 'Make a loop' Jade said, 'with the standing part away from you and under the loop.'

'The loop is an island and the standing part is a tree'.

  

'Put the working end up through the loop, in the story it's a bunny rabbit putting his head up through a hole'.

 

 'Pass the working end behind the standing part, so the bunny goes round behind the tree'.

 

'Feed the working end back through the loop, so the bunny goes back down his hole'.

 

'And pull the knot tight'. 

  

It looks like this from the front...

   

...and like this at the back.

 

 'Hop in the loop, Colin, and me and Sid will pull you to safety', shouted GIJoe.

 

'That's it', Skip said. 'A bowline makes a small loop which you can use to loop over a hook or a shackle, or you could feed the standing part through the loop and make a big loop that will run freely and not bind or you could slip it over a thick rope to use as a safety aid.'