Ngati Toa Sea Scouts: Dylan & Cameron's Chief Scout Journey

Trip Report

Day 1: The first group arrived at 7:00 pm, meeting with Wontolla, who runs the Taupo Scout Ship. He gave a tour of the den, explaining rules and guidelines for our stay. The second group arrived later, around 11:10 pm, and after everyone was settled, we quickly got ready for bed and fell asleep. From Day One we learnt that arriving at 11 at night is quite a challenge, especially unpacking the boats late in the night in the rain. Ideally, if we were to do the camp again, everyone would be able to leave at the same time.

Day 2: We started the day early, waking up at 7:30 am to make a hearty breakfast of bacon and eggs. Later, we embarked on a hike up Mt. Tauhara, taking in the incredible views from the top. Afterwards, we visited AC Baths, which was a blast and a refreshing way to wind down. On day two we should've pushed scouts harder to do the things that they needed to do so we could get going faster. We ran behind schedule all day but they wouldn't have been a problem he we encouraged scouts to do what they needed to do in the morning

Day 3: We woke up at 6:30 am and kicked off the day with a fun breakfast of blue pancakes. Afterwards, we began rigging boats, but it took longer than anticipated, and unfortunately, we popped the patrol boat. This led to a change in plans, so we ended up sailing back and forth within the bay. After sailing, everyone was cold, so we took a trip to the natural hot springs to warm up. Although the water wasn’t as warm as we’d hoped, we still enjoyed the experience and made the most of it. On the third day, our biggest error was probably forgetting to put the bungs in. if we had done so we wouldn't have popped the patrol boat and we may have been able to go to the Maori carvings. However, we did adapt well and came up with alternative options.

Day 4 (Last Day): We woke up at 6:30 am again, which didn’t make everyone happy! After that, we began our pack-up process: everyone had their designated jobs as we mopped, swept, and cleared out the den. We then dropped off the rubbish and delivered a thank-you cake to Wontolla for hosting us and assisting on the challenging sailing day. From there, we drove to the Whakapapa side of Mt. Ruapehu and enjoyed a beautiful walk to Taranaki Falls, an impressive sight. Finally, we drove back to the den to unpack after a long and adventurous journey. On the last day of camp we should have slit up, one car going to Steve's place and one going to the tip. Other than that I think Day 4 went very smoothly.

Hotel/Location: Taupo Scout Ship
Type of Accommodation: Den
Quality and Experience: A good place to stay with easy access to the water, ideal for sailing activities, and a private environment perfect for scouts.

Main Mode of Transportation: Car
Experience: Convenient and flexible for the journey; allowed easy travel around Lake Taupo and direct access to the Scout Ship.

Top Attractions Visited: Mt. Tauhara and Taranaki Falls
Favourite Experience: Learning to play poker with everyone, which became a fun group activity
Must-try Food or Drink: Blue pancakes—a memorable and tasty part of the adventure

Issues with Accommodation/Transportation: None reported.
Health/Safety Concerns: Having a smaller patrol boat led some safety concerns on the water and some scouts not being as confident with the conditions at hand which also caused a leader to be on a boat to help teach
Other Obstacles and How They Were Managed: On Day 3, the patrol boat was damaged when it popped, and high winds, combined with scouts not having their boats properly rigged, created additional complications. These challenges led to a necessary change in plans to ensure safety and manage resources effectively.

Total Cost: $904.67
Main Expenses: Food, Petrol and Boat repairs.
Left Over: $135.33. This translates to 16.9 dollars per person
Cost-saving Tips: Choose the cheapest options for food and don’t break the patrol boat.

Memorable Moments: Reaching the top of Mt. Tauhara with all scouts and leaders and enjoying the amazing views.
Lessons Learned: The importance of proper preparation, especially ensuring that boats and gear are ready and rigged on time for activities.

10. Photos