Scout's Sunset/Sunrise Camp

Today the boys went on a Scout tramp up to Mt Thomas which is in North Canterbury.

All Scouts throughout New Zealand, as part of the National programme, were invited to organise and take part in an overnight tramp at which they would watch the sunset and sunrise.

Sunset Sunrise Challenge

When:Mar 27 – 29 2009

Where:New Zealand

Description:Your hike should take you somewhere you can see the sunset and the sunrise. It could be two different places. Photograph the sunset starlight feast check out the stars with your planispheres torch light code challenge light speed texting challenge photograph the sunrise......... (taken from the Scouting NZ website.)

(All but 3 of these photos were taken by Toby, hence why Thomas features in so many of them! Don't forget you can click on any photo to enlarge it)















All geared up ready to go!

The Russley Group leaders Peter and Julie organised 8 scouts to tramp up to the top of Mt Thomas, which has an elevation of 1023metres.














They left at 1pm Saturday and travelled to the carpark at the base of the Mountain.

































Connor in front, then Thomas 2 behind him.



















Connor and Thomas stopping for a drink















The Summit is in sight! Thomas in foreground.















That bit up there to the left of the trees is where they camped for the night!

It took them over 4 hours to tramp up to the top, the terrain was a little rough in places, with recently felled pine tree waste over a large part of the ground and with some slower first time trampers in the group, they of course tramped at the pace of the slowest person in front. They were also all carrying 3 litres of water each in their packs!














Hills Everywhere!

Once at the top they pitched 'flies' with makeshift tent poles (most used tramping poles) and made up their beds on groundsheets.














Home sweet Home for the night, with Christchurch way down in the background.

They took a packed tea from home and ate this and watched the sun set in the west and took photos.














Looking west to the Sunset!

The next morning Julie woke them early so they could watch the sunrise in the east and take photos.














Looking East to the Sunrise!

They had breakfast, broke camp, packed up and tramped down to the bottom arriving at around 12noon.



















Heading down and home!















Stopping to admire the view of the Canterbury Plains















Welcome sit down at the end of the tramp down.

I had travelled out to the car park/picnic area with a couple of the groups gas cookers in my car, gas bottles and water and another Mother brought out the chilly bin with the lunch food in it.

Julie set up the cookers with grill plates on top and the scouts cooked meat patties and onions and we all had hamburgers for lunch.














Connor, Thomas, Toby & Julie- Scout Leader (Connor's Mum)

Julie then grilled fresh pineapple and some bananas and this was served with honey and yoghurt for dessert.

We headed home round 2pm.

The boys had a fabulous time thanks once again to their fantastic Scout leaders Peter and Julie, they are just amazing!

Scouts Kontiki Raft Race 2009

This weekend the boys went on an overnight Scout camp for the annual "Kontiki Raft Race".

There were 9 scouts from their group, and their leaders Julie and Peter. They stayed the night in tents at a place called Omaka, which is a Scout Camp on the outskirts of Christchurch.

They spent yesterday afternoon building their raft themselves down by the lake they were racing on today.














The finished product, complete with a sail that had to be raised at a certain part of the course.

This morning they had a cooking challenge in which they had to prepare and cook a meal on their raft with certain ingredients in and a hot drink, enough for their whole crew and an extra one for the judges. Their crew made Beef Snitzel, Scrambled eggs and Sausages and Chocolate fondue with fresh fruit for dipping for dessert, and a hot chocolate drink.

Then the raft race was on around a course on the lake.














Off racing now.














Some of the rafts on the lake














Toby was leader of the patrol - here he is digging in at the rear of the raft during the race.














And Thomas on his side of the raft digging in!














Connor C jumping off with their raft number to the get to the finish line, with Connor G enjoying the spectacle.














Watching Connor C get to the finish line.

Points were awarded to each entry for raft construction, meal menu and finished product and their overall place in the race.

Our boys and their group came 3rd overall which was an awesome effort.

They got home mid afternoon today on an absolute high after their weekend of fun.

Katie went to one of her friend's 16th birthday party last night and Al picked her up at midnight. Then today she went with her friend Katya to their batch over at Wainui so her Dad could mow the lawns. She had a great day too.

Me? Well I can finally concentrate long enough to read again so enjoyed getting half way through my book, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini. He also wrote "The Kite Runner" which I have also read. Both books are set in Afghanistan and are truly remarkable and moving stories. Although after reading The Kite Runner, you can't pick another book up for a while, as you need to absorb and register all that you have just read for a few weeks! Amazing writing.

Thomas's week at Scout Camp

Thomas's activities included Archery, BMX riding, Flying, Stone Carving, 4 Wheel Drive Excursion, Water Sports, An overnight Bushcraft adventure where they slept out under the stars in the bush, carrying all their gear in packs on their back in the heat! Sillhouette shooting and a full day exploring caves way up high in a canyon.





Water Sports day














on the biscuits behind a jet boat.














About to go flying & I too won the paper, scissors, rock game & got to fly the plane!













The plane
















The view along the river to the ocean near Ashburton.









Heading up to the Canyon Caves















Water fall near where we went to the Canyon Caves












A view from the top when we went on our overnight adventure












4 wheel drive adventure, we got stuck in a river then the water started to come into the vehicle.












BMX riding, or adjusting!

Toby's week at Scout Camp

Each scout was given a list with about 20 activities under 3 different headings a few months before they went on camp. They had to choose 5 activities off each list and score them according to preference 1 to 5 in each list. They were allocated 3 of their 5 in each list to participate in over the week. Toby's included an overnight mountain bike adventure, a full day Search and Rescue training, BMX racing, Sillouhette Shooting, Gourmet Camp cooking, Metal craft, Stone carving, Full day water sports and flying a plane! We paid according to the activities they were allocated, some were free, others like the flying was $35 but well worth it. Here is Toby's week......

The things I did at camp..........






Silhouette Shooting














BMX riding













Heading off on our Overnight Mountain bike adventure.
















River crossing on our mountain bike adventure













Where we stayed the night on our mountain bike adventure.












Gourmet Camp cooking..... making cookies for baking in the camp oven.













The camp oven


















The cake we made in the camp oven.












Search and Rescue training.














Flying!










3 Scouts went in the plane & after a game of paper, scissors, rock I got to sit in the drivers seat! I was taught to fly the plane, then was allowed to fly solo with the pilot keeping a close eye beside me.





A view from my window!











Out my window looking over the Canterbury plains. Below is Lake Hood, a man made lake near Ashburton.













Mighty Amigos! Me, Connor and Thomas chilling at camp!









A new business I thought Mum could take over. It's called "Charlie's Takeaways" & it was the truck that came each day to empty the numerous portaloos on site at camp!

Off to Scout Camp for the boys

Today we packed up our lunch and headed to Staveley, which is over an hours drive west of Christchurch to the triennial District Scout Camp.

350 Scouts from the Canterbury region, and their leaders, camped for 7 nights together in troops. Our boys had only 12 from their local group going so they joined in with a troop from another division and made one trooop called the Brussle Scouts. They have special troop scarves to wear just for this camp and theirs was a bright pink and white gingham fabric with smiley faces all over them. They had to wear these and their scout shirts every meal time in order to be served.








Lunch Stop at Rakaia








We stopped at Rakaia to eat our lunch around 11.30am, and it was a very hot 30 degrees sitting under a tree. We arrived at the camp at Staveley, which is at the base of Mount Somers, and then the wind came up.








Looking out towards Mount Somers







What a nightmare trying to pitch tents and marquees in winds that were over 100kms an hour! A few tents were ripped in the process and a number of marquees in the campsite had to be taken down before any major damage was done to them or they became unsafe.






Erecting the Brussle Scouts troop marquee















A meeting of all the Brussle Scouts in the troop marquee.












Brussle Scouts campsite.









At one end of the camp a very large marquee was erected and there was seating for the whole campsite 400+ people, to dine every night together. They ate breakfast and made their lunches in the marquees at their own campsites.





Some Brussle Scouts, Shea, Matthew and Thomas on the ground, enjoying some shade.