Toby & Alex'a Chief Scout Journey (Alex)

Trip Review 

On the Thursday before our tramp we got everyone to meet up at the den and me and Toby went through everyone's gear and made sure everyone had everything then after the others went and joined with the rest of the scouts while me and Toby got the food sorted. Friday we left for the tramp and on the way we stopped at a kebab place for some dinner, then once we were at the carpark we got ready to start walking as quick as we could we left at about 6 or 7 pm and arrived at the hut around 10 ish than once we got there everyone else went to sleep while me and toby talked to the leaders and made a plan on what we were gonna to the next day. The original plan was to walk from atiwhakatu hut up to jumbo to powell hut the next day but due to the weather and the forms we signs we weren't allowed to go with the original plan so me Toby and decided that we will spend more time at the hut in the morning but head straight to powell hut. So the next morning we got packed and ready and left, but on the up the mountain everyone got tired and saw and we stopped quite a lot of times and it took us longer then expected but we made it in the end and just on time because as we arrived it got foggy and rainy and thankfully we had dry firewood in our packs to warm up. Later in the night we did some badge work and me and Toby did a review on the day and how it went. The next morning we got all packed up, said our goodbyes and left for Rocky lookout. When we got there we did some more work on our badge work and had lunch then we continued down the mountain. Once we got to the car parks I think just about everybody was exhausted and glad we were back. On the ride back we did a review on the whole tramp.

What we did well:

What I think we did well was getting all this organized and happening and making sure everybody made it up and we stuck together.

What we did not do well:

Just about everyone got sick after the tramp and we could have made a better time to powell hut.

What we changed:

The original plan was to camp the frist night at the carpark but that plan changed to a night walk to atiwhakatu hut. Another thing was not going to the jumbo hut and just going straight to powell.

More photographs available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KJZEhHvatwWbjZEJA

Toby & Alex'a Chief Scout Journey (Toby)

On Thursday night at Scouts, we did the gear check and divided the food, firewood and cooking stuff between the Scouts who were coming with us.  On Friday we met at the den at 4 o'clock and then left for the Wairarapa. In Grey Town we got kebabs, and at around 7 pm we geared up and left for the night walk to the Atiwhakatu hut. In the morning we evaluated the weather and decided if we were going up and over the ridge. We decided not to go over the ridge because it was too windy and when we asked a guy who had just come from the Jumbo Hut he said it was snowing. We went back the way we came for a bit and came to the River Ridge track and went up it instead. We had lunch at the mountain house shelter. After that, we continued up to Powell Hut and at the edge of the tree line we collected more firewood. At Powell Hut, we talked about sustainability for the Sustainability Better World badge, we went to chop some of the wood in the woodshed and then made dinner. After dinner, we got ready for bed. In the morning we made breakfast and some of us went further up past the hut for a bit while the rest tidied the rooms and kitchen area. Then we left to go back down and had morning tea at the mountain house shelter then walked to the rocky lookout for lunch and talked more about sustainability. After that, we left for the car park and at the car park we put our bags in the car and in one of the cars, Alex and I did our review of how the tramp went.  We felt it went really well and appreciated all the support from the Leaders.

More photographs available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KJZEhHvatwWbjZEJA

Atiwhakatu Beginners Tramp

 Holdsworth is a great place to go tramping and while it is about 2 hours drive away, it never fails to make it feel worth while.  This year we had a smallish group of scouts wanting to learn the skills and experience the feeling of an overnight in the bush - some were experienced, but for others it was a first time.

The trip over was an experience.  I have a scout play list in my car, given to me by the Venturers.  The scouts I had in my car loved it and in a lot of cases were singing along (despite some of the songs being Taylor Swift - Sorry Harvey)

Some of our more experienced scouts lead off and set a good pace.  We did the walks in and out in very short times.  We were in to the hut quite early and did the usual of dropping our packs around the hut and heading off to collect firewood.  A LOT of firewood was collected for such a small group.  We had teams on collecting, breaking up and also packing the firewood into the stores at the back of the hut.

Dinner was whatever each group wanted to make with the ingredients that they had.  Cous cous formed the based and most went with adding some of each ingredient for interest sake.  Peppers, Chorizo, Cheese, Tomatoes, etc, all in one pot.  A standard feature of these hikes since we discovered it a few years ago is Chocolate Mouse desserts.  Whip it up and leave it outside in the cold and Voila!  You have dessert.

The evening following dinner was about the fun games and exercises that Nick had prepared.  Lots of learning while still having fun.  A family with a small baby were sharing the hut with us and also took part in the fun.

Next morning was breakfast of porridge and fruit.  Some scouts find this a challenging meal for some reason.

Tidying up and packing up took the best part of an hour or two before we could set off back to the parking lot.  The hut looked spotless and all the scouts played a huge part in making it so.

The walk back was brisk with no issues.  Even swing bridges were just fun.  We stopped at Donnelly Flats for lunch and retired to the the river where it runs close to the track to have it.  The river bank was comfortable and dry and we all settled down a variety of wraps, noodles and soups according to each groups desire.

The trip home also involved a lot of singing in my car, and I believe this showed that all had really enjoyed the trip.

Feel free to check out more photos here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/NkG6cU5aqRAMUrjv5

Ellie and Trinaya Chief Scout Adventurous Journey (Ellie)

Chief Scout Rimu Award Adventurous Journey

by Ellie Beaumont

Maddy's Chief Scout Adventurous Journey

Chief Scout Rimu Award Adventurous Journey

by Maddy Knapp

My camp was a biking camp. We started met at Pukerua Bay scout den when we dropped off our stuff and bikes. My mum drove us to Paekakariki and dropped us off at the Fisherman’s table carpark. We walked back to the Pukerua Bay den along the coastal road.  When we got back to the den we completed our Antarctica badge and conservation badge. After that we cooked dinner, ate dinner and then played Ps and As.

The next day we packed up and biked to the movies in Pauatahanui with Ellie’s group. We watched Kung Fu Panda 4. Then we biked to Ngatitoa scout den. In the afternoon we did badge work and derigged boats and build bivvys. We cooked dinner and slept in the boats.

On the last day we biked to the pirate mini golf in Porirua. We played golf and then we biked back to the den. We packed up and did a review and left.

My reflections…..

Things that went good

• good decision to go to the movies with Ellie’s group as it helped fill in spare time
• we biked good. We stayed together as a group
• organisation of gear and transportation was good
• my camp wasn’t overpacked
• we completed all the badge work we planned to do
• we did everything we planned to do
• meals turned out well
• we were very under budget

Things that didn’t go good

• Over estimated badge work because I scheduled to muchtime
• forgot the meat patties in the freezer in Pukerua Bay scout 

den

• I felt stressed when I was told Mel was coming. I knew I didn’t have enough food for another person and I knew I didn’t have enough money in my bank account for the golf

Next time….

• I would schedule more activitites because we had time for more things.
• I would do more biking
• I would do less time for badge work because I put to much time

More photographs available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/dmHUmaUfCVy8nRTi9