2021 Whakaipo Bay (Leaders summary)

This was definitely a camp to remember.  Grant is already plotting to do it again in two years time, while the Venturers are off at Venture and the scouts have a year off from national events.  I thoroughly support this idea.

The plan was to split the group into two so that no one particular activity was overwelmed by numbers.  At our peak we were 37 people so you can imaging the mountain biking or river kayaking equipment would have stretched us.

As such the contingents were formed (Green - lead by Hamish & Purple - lead by Ciara).  These two have written their own reports for their groups as I was with the Green Contingent and really did not know what the Purple one was doing other than what I was told.

The first day was supposed to be a River Kayaking and Camp Day but with high winds and lots of chop in the bay is was decided to postpone this programme day to the free day on Sunday and use this as our free day.  We went for two walks, one about 9km in the morning and another about 8km in the afternoon.  

The first was just in the campsite.  We walked down along the side of the bay out to a small beach near the head.  It was all bush and the beach was so small we couldn't all get on it.

Emma collected a bunch of weta skins on the
way in.  Amelia was admiring them.

Charlie, Sean, Will, Liam, Ollie and Hamish

We spent the afternoon watching the Aratiatia Dam open and flood the downstream basin from ...

... this ...                               ... to this ...

... in under a minute or so.

We then walked up the side of the river up to Huka Falls.

Gabi and Ciara with Kym

Quinn, Bronson and Matt

All in a row watching the dam open

We followed all this exercise up with a visit to AC Baths to get clean and cool down (sic - it was a hot pool at 36 degrees Celcius)

Zoe, Amelia and Emma chilling together

Rosie in action, doing a dive bomb

The next day was in line with the programme and I will let you read about it in the other posts.

Through all this we had a 7am swim every morning which was compusory on the last morning.  It was exhilarating.  We also had a sunset swim on one day.

Beautiful evening for a dip in the lake

Ciara & Will keeping Dougal company on a morning swim

All together on a morning swim

While we were there, we could not beach the cutters.  The centre case is of a size that means that pebbles get stuck into the casing and the centre plate can not be used until they are removed.  Therefore it was decided that the boats would anchor.  The consequence of this however was that the Taupo Lake Harbourmaster required us to maintain an "Anchor watch" over night.  All the scouts were involved in this and did a two hour shift each from 10pm every night through until 6 am the following morning for the three nights that the boats were on the water.  The scouts set up a bivouac to sit in while they were on duty and the gazebos were set up nearby to sleep in. (not that many of them did, sleeping "al fresco" was the order of the day)

The Bivouac

The boats looking a little pink in the sunset

The boats looking eerie at night with their anchor lights

There were plenty of similar activities, 

• we went to AC Baths on Sunday night as well and had dinner there
• we took a photo at a large blue chair positioned on the road side
• we played cards at night
• lots of cricket, swing ball and football were played in the camp ground
• and some scouts even got some pioneering work done

Never a dull moment!

The whole camp (except Connor)

Tree house with swing built by Calvin, Rosie, Zoe and Emma
(It even had a secret staircase behind it)

Freddy and Toby built this bridge over the ditch
for the venturers to be able to access their campsite
in the bamboo stand behind them

The Blue Chair

Hamish & Ciara lead us through all our Flag parades

Quinn, Hamish B, Matt, Roaise and Emma upstairs
in their sleeping area

Amelia preparing dinner with Robin

Gabi goes in to bat

Vanessa taking on Nathaniel with Ruan looking on

This has to go down as one of my favourite camps I have ever done with scouts, and I really do feel for those scouts who did not get to sail back to Acacia Bay and see the Maori carvings on the way.  I am sure all scouts who came to this camp feel the same way.

Looking forward to the next one!