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    • A Mini Mana Gang Show
      • This term, Scouts Aotearoa set us the challenge of putting on a “performance”. We discovered it had been 38 years since the last Mana Gang Show and decided to produce a Mini-Gang Show with our cubs, in partnership with Mana Little Theatre. We have been working on our Climate Change badge this term so asked the cubs to write original skits on the theme of climate change or environment. What creativity! Farting cows were a big feature and classic scout skits an inspiration - like the invisible bench becoming melting ice that no one had noticed! Mana Little Theatre generously provided us with a venue where we performed our show to a full house of parents, featuring some reworked songs (Minecraft movie’s Lava Chicken became a song about the environment and Monty Python’s Galaxy Song became a song about climate change). We closed in true Gang Show style with Crest of a Wave. For many of our Cubs, this was their first time performing in a theatre in front of an audience. Not all of our cubs enjoy performing in front of an audience, but in true scouts style, they gave it their best shot, supporting the cubs who were absolutely loving it. It’s been amazing working with such a creative group of inspiring youngsters. We’ve seen our cubs grow in confidence, learn new skills, and take on a new challenge. Who knows, some of them may have found a life-long passion!

    • Tara & Angus' Chief Scout Adventurous Journey (Angus)
      • DAY 1 FRIDAY We left the scout den at 4.30 pm on Friday and drove to Greytown. We arrived at the Greytown Scout Hall, biked down to the Greytown fish and chips shop, and ordered burgers and chips. After that, we went to a local park to play. Later on, once it had become dark, we decided to play Spotlight in the nearby park to end the night. Overall, we got on well because it was a small group, and everyone knew each other. Though it might have been better if we made food instead of buying it, at least it fits the budget. We had pancakes for breakfast on Saturday morning. Upon finding that we needed more batter, we added more water, and the result was funny-looking crepes that were still fine. Soon after breakfast, we decided to go geocaching, and this went well, though some of the caches had been damaged. Next was the Patuna Chasm walk, which went exceedingly well only because Patuna Farm Adventures had a tight system. After that, we talked about how that went. We got dinner on the go soon after. It was pasta, and whilst some participants doubted my portioning skills, it worked out great. To top off the night, we baked a chocolate cake, though we spilled a bit of the mixture almost immediately. We got it done and topped it with icing. By Sunday morning, we had got the hang of working/ cooking as a team, and breakfast was made quickly. The only issue we found was that the electric stovetop started sparking, so we switched stoves. At first, we had planned a short bike ride to Featherston for the end of the camp. The leaders (Derrick and Dermott) advised that this was too little of a challenge. Dermott stated, "We had to do something longer to make this epic. So, with some quick thinking, we planned a bike up over the Remutakas and over to Kaitoke to seal off the adventurous journey. Although biking 43.8km on bumpy gravel and the uneven road is painful enough, the hill is pretty steep and just goes up to the top. Once we were on the other side, it was smooth sailing. In conclusion, I enjoyed my Chief Scout's adventurous journey and would do it again.

    • Shipwrecked at Pukerua Bay - Cub Camp
      • “Shipwrecked at Pukerua Bay” was a Cub Camp that will go down in legend for the youth and Kaiarahi of Ngāti Toa Sea Scouts. In March we spent two nights under canvas at the Pukerua Bay Scout Den. An outdoor camp was a first for most of our Cubs and organising it was a first for most of our Kaiārahi too. Despite trepidation from both parties, the weekend was a successful, fun packed adventure from start to finish. The theme of the camp was “Shipwrecked” with the games, activities and food all aimed at surviving in a remote location with limited resources and trying to secure rescue. Having a theme was helpful for the organisers and fun for the Cubs. It gave focus to the activities and made space to tell fun stories to each other. Across the weekend the Cubs: Took part in wide games like “Message in a Bottle” and “Blind Buccaneers Trail” – very useful for building small teams and blowing off steam before bed. Learned some bushcraft skills such as shelter building, signaling, and tracking – a must if you are trapped in a remote bay. Conquered a nearby peak to warm up their muscles in the morning and get the “lie of the land” in unfamiliar surroundings. Made flags to mark their territory and use up some creative energy. And spent time learning some campfire skills – lighting fires and cooking chocolate stuffed bananas, smores and a, remarkably tasty, damper – everything a shipwrecked cub might need. The weekend was catered by an incredible crew who managed to rescue some surprising supplies from the galley before the ship went down. We were treated to “Kraken & Seaweed” (Carrot and Cucumber, “Scurvy-be-gone Juice” (Raro), Ants on a Log, “Cheesy Cannonball Rolls” and a First-Class Feast at the Captains table. The “Booty Bars” were a real hit with the Cubs and Kaiarahi but the Galley Chief insists that he will take the recipe to the bottom of the briny blue before he gives it up to any Land Lubbers. In the evenings we enjoyed some fantastic Campfires where Cubs and Kaiārahi alike showcased their top songs and skits. Favourites like “Ging Gang”, “Singin’ in the rain” and “My Bonny” were complimented with more nautical hits like the “Wellerman”. The cubs had prepared skits during the day, and we were treated to excellent versions of “Broken Finger”, “Invisible Bench”, “Ice Fishing” and “Is that a Poo?” The version of “The Bandana skit” that we saw had the camp rolling with laughter and may never be forgotten! Luckily, Pukerua Bay turned out to be a less remote place to be shipwrecked than we had initially feared, and rescue parties were able to collect some tired and happy Cubs at the close of camp. I know they were full of good food, and I would like to think they also took away some new skills, strong friendships, and some fantastic memories. I, for one, cannot wait to do it all over again! Dave Philipson at the NTSS Cub Kaiārahi

    • Tara & Angus' Chief Scout Adventurous Journey
      • Day 1 On Friday the 28 of February we left Ngāti Toa scout hall to begin our adventurous journey. The drive took longer than we thought because there was lots of traffic. When we got there we found the key the was left under the rubbish bin for us and had a look around then we went back to the car and unloaded everything after everything was inside the hall we got out a table and told the scouts what was going to happen that night and also decided what days I would lead and what days Angus would lead. We decided that I would lead Friday night & Angus would lead Saturday and I would lead Sunday. I think it was good to tell the other scouts what was happening because it meant they didn't have to ask us what was happening next after each activity finished. After that I decided we were going to set up our beds and then ride our bikes to the fish and chip shop where we were eating our dinner. When we got there I ordered the food and they said we had to wait for about 30 minutes. There was a picnic bench next to the fish and chip shop but me and Rose went to see if we could find a nicer place to eat around there while Angus and Dylan waited for the food. I think that was a good idea because otherwise we would have had to find a place to eat after we already had the food and it might have gone cold. Once the food was ready we went to the picnic table me and Rose found at a park to eat our dinner. After dinner we biked back to the hall and all found our torches. It was a good idea that we set up our beds before dinner because it gave us more time to play spotlight. We went out to play spotlight and then came in about 45 minutes later because we had to get ready for bed. We probably should have set boundaries before the first round because we didn't know how far we could go but after the first round we said we could only go on the field and the trees around it. At around 9.50 we went in and got ready for bed we were in bed and lights out by 10 or 10.15. Our aim was a 10 pm lights out so we should have come in earlier but we were pretty close. Day 2 On Saturday we had planned to get up at 8 but everyone woke up at 7 or 7.30 and so we played cards until then. 8 was too late to get up and we probably could have started on breakfast when we got up so we had more time to do other things. For breakfast we made pancakes which were okay. We used a lot of mix in the first couple that didn't turn out well and then decided to add a bit more water so we would have more mix. That made the pancakes very thin but they still tasted good. It did take us a lot longer than expected to make breakfast and we decided that maybe it was a bit much to have all four of us in the kitchen making breakfast so me and Rose got out the stuff for lunch and started making people's wraps. One thing we realized is we had forgotten to put on the gear list things to put our lunches in but we had planned to eat at the start of the walk that day anyway so we put the lunches in one of the boxes with food. While we were eating breakfast and a bit when we were cooking, Angus told everyone what was going to happen that day because he was leading that day. When all the breakfast and lunch things were packed up we packed our day bags so everything would be ready by the time we got back from geocaching. We went geocaching for about an hour or hour and a half. It was good but some of them were hard to find or not there. When we got back we put our lunches in the car and our day bags and went to Patuna chasm. We didn't know where to go so we used google maps. We got there about 45 mins early so we had lunch at a picnic bench that was there, signed in on the sheet out front and put on more sunscreen. It was good we got there early because it meant we had time to do all those things and if we were late they wouldn't have waited for us and we would have missed out. The car ride that took us to the start of the walk was about 15 mins and had some nice views it was also fun because we were in the trailer it the actual car. When we got to the start the person that ran the Patuna chasm walk gave us instructions about the walk and told us where a first aid kit was and what to do if anything happened on the walk. That was good but made it easy for me and Angus because we didn't have to try to find out where we were or where to go next on a map because we had the instructions and the person had told us everything we needed to know. The first part of the walk was on land and a bit uphill. After about 15 to 20 minutes of that we went down into the river. It was a steep downhill so they had a rope you could use to help you down. Once we were in the river we went upstream to a waterfall which we stood under and it was nice and refreshing since it was a nice day. After that we had to turn back downstream because past the waterfall was private property. We kept walking downstream and took lots of pictures because it was very pretty. It was rocky and slippery in some places so we made sure that we were watching our steps so we didn't fall. We were just walking straight for a while in some parts the water was up to our waist and in other parts it was only up to our ankles. After that there was a side path to a cave type thing it took about 15 mins to get up there and it was cool but very muddy and slippery on the way up and down after that we just kept walking down the river and because we wanted to do the swim out option we kept walking past the walk out sign with the rope to get back up. We continued down and it started to get deeper at one point there was a part that was up to ours waists on the side and deeper in the middle me and Rose went under the water there because we thought it was the swimming part but it wasn't super deep for that long. Then after another couple of minutes we saw the deeper part. Derrick and Dermot took the bags because we wanted to go under the water and because we were too short to keep them from getting wet. It was a good idea to give them the bags because they didn't get wet and they definitely would have it if we had carried them. At the end of the swim there was and orange cone that showed us where to get out so we got out and followed the path back to where we had started on our way up we heard the cars coming back to get people but by the time we got there they had already left so we had to wait a hour for them to come back and pick us up. We should have run when we heard them so we would get there on time. During that hour we put our thermals on and some of our wet stuff off so we wouldn't get cold because it was windy. Derrick taught us about some of the trees that were around there and the clouds that were in the sky at that point. The cars came back for us at 4.45 we went in the trailers back to the place where we parked and then drove back to the hall. When we got back to the hall we put on our togs and went to the pool that was right next to the hall. We were there for about 45 minutes because it closed 30 minutes before they said it would. But it was still a good amount of time in the pool before we had to go back to make dinner. Dinner was pasta which some people thought there wouldn't be enough of because we only brought one bag of pasta but it was enough for all of us. It also didn't take as long as breakfast. After dinner we were going to start making the cake but then we realized we didn't bring a cake tin but then someone suggested we use the pot we made the pasta in so we did we made the batter put it in the pot and then we put in in the oven and set a timer and went outside to play spotlight it was fun but there was a lot more people around. We went inside 15 mins before the timer went off because there were some people walking around the field and it was kinda creepy. When we were inside we checked on the cake but it still had a while to go so we played cards until it was done. After the cake was done we realized we still had to make the icing so we quickly made that and put it on the cake we also wanted milo but we had used the pot to make the cake so we had cold milo it was very good after we had eaten cake we cleaned the dishes and went to bed. Day 3 We were planning to get up at 7 on Sunday but the alarm didn't go off and so we ended up getting up at around 7.20. When we got up we packed up our beds and stuff because we were going home that day then we made breakfast which was scrambled eggs and bacon on toast but when we were cooking the bacon the stove we were cooking it on sparked so we turned it off and started using another one. When we were eating breakfast we were talking about what we were gonna do that day and we were planning on doing a 10km bike ride but then Derrick told us that that would only take us half an hour so me Angus and Dermot went outside to talk about what we would do instead while everyone else cleaned up the inside of the hall. When we were trying to decide what we were going to do we decided that we still wanted to do a bike ride but a longer one that we had originally planned. Angus wanted to ride all the way back to Ngāti Toa but I thought 105km was to much and so we decided that we would ride over the Rimutakas on the Rimutaka rail trail and Derrick would pick us up at the carpark at the end and drive us back to the den. So we went inside to tell everyone and everything was packed up so we told people what we were going to do and at first they didn't really like the idea because it was still a really long bike ride but they didn't really mind when we were on the bikes. We loaded up everything into Derricks car and he was going to meet us at the start of the Rimutaka track that was about 25 km away but on his way there he stopped at the supermarket because we had to do something else for lunch because we had planned to have nachos at the hall but couldn't do that anymore. Once we had loaded up Derrick's car we left and Dermot was riding with us and had the map on his phone. The first part of the ride was pretty good we were on a bike path for a lot of it and there were some times we went on the road because it was easier to ride on but we only did that on roads that had barely any cars on them and if cars started coming we went onto the path next to the road. We took a couple of breaks and made sure everyone drank a lot of water and ate some snacks we brought with us so that people didn't get dehydrated and hungry. We got to the start of the Rimutaka track about just over 2 hours after we left. Everyone was pretty tired and not really excited about the big hill that we had to ride up next. We had lunch. Derrick had brought some lollies for energy and some tuna wraps. We stayed there for about an hour and then got back on the bikes and started up the hill. Rose was struggling a bit and wasn't feeling the best at the start so we took a little break and then kept going. We walked our bikes for a bit and then rode them for a bit and kept doing that and taking some breaks but not too many. We did that all the way up the hill to the swing bridge. I think it was a good idea to walk the bikes when we got tired instead of taking breaks so that it didn't take too long. Angus and Dylan were a bit ahead of us but stopped when they thought they were too far ahead. When we got to the swing bridge we knew we were close to the top we left our bikes on one side of the swing bridge and then went to have a look over the sides and stuff then we got our bikes and biked across on the other side of the swing bridge there was a tunnel so we a couple of people had torches so we turned them on so we could see. It wasn't a very long tunnel but it might have been more helpful if more people had torches. After another 5 or 10 mins there was another tunnel and then we were at the top. Once we were at the top we sat under a tree and rested for 15 mins. Then we went down the hill everyone was a lot more happy because we were going down hill and didn't really have to peddle. The down hill didn't really take us that long, only about half an hour and when we got to the end we saw Derrick and loaded the bikes onto the trailer and then drove to the den. When we got to the den we unloaded the trailer and put everything that needed to go back in the den. Then we all went home. It was a good camp and if i did it again i would probably make some changes especially in the planning but i think we did pretty good.

    • Dylan & Cameron's Chief Scout Journey
      • Trip Report 1. Trip Details Destination: Lake Taupo Travel Dates: October 10th to October 13th Purpose of the Trip: Chief Scout Adventurous Journey 2. Travel Companions Leaders: Dougal and Derrick Organizing Scouts: Dylan and Cameron Scouts: Trinaya, Rose, Tara, Angus, Flynn, and Toby 3. Itinerary Summary 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. 4. Accommodation Details 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. 5. Transportation 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. 6. Highlights of the Trip 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 7. Challenges Faced 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. 8. Budget Overview 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. 9. Key Takeaways 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

    • Sam's Chief Scout Adventurous Journey
      • Overview My chief scout journey took place over the Matariki weekend from Friday the 28th of June to Sunday the 30th of June 2024. There were lots of possibilities of what I could do and where I could go. After a lot of thinking, I decided to go to Kapiti Island and cycle down the coast from Paraparaumu to Ngati toa domain. Along the way we’d do things like working at the community gardens, going to a scenic lookout point, and kayaking. Planning This journey took a lot more planning than I thought it would. Things took a lot more time than I thought, like budgeting, posting the event on Mahi Tahi, and some of the activities like cycling. Even though they took more time than I thought, they ended up all working out and everything ran smoothly. Budget My budget went pretty well. The total cost for the trip per person was $120, I have reached this budget. The trip would’ve cost more, but luckily Kapiti Island Nature tours had a discount of 20%. I knew that if the trip cost any more it would draw people away from attending. So I’m thankful to Kapiti nature tours for the good timing of the discount! I had the amount of food planned to cost $161, and it ended up being $158.08 which is less than I expected. I was budgeting for 3 people. I budgeted the camp with 3 expenses in mind: Food, Kapiti Island trip and the Koha to Raumati Scout Group. The food cost was $52.70 each, the Kapiti Island trip cost $63 each, the other $4.30 each was for the Koha to Raumati Scout group. That means the koha would only be $12.90. I would like to round the koha up to $20. We ended up having a bit too much food at the end so we all took it home and found ways to use it. I used the leftover bananas to make a banana cake and I bought it into scouts to share on the last night of term. Some things like bacon, apple crumble, cereal, and burger patties went very fast. But there were some things that I took too many of, like bananas, apples, fries, tinned food, and raro. Accommodation For our accommodation, we stayed at two places, Raumati Scout den in Paraparaumu, and Ngati Toa Sea Scouts. On the first night we slept in Raumati scout hall. We cooked and ate there and there was even a heater. On the second night we slept in tents in a field in Ngati Toa domain which is very close to Ngati Toa Sea Scouts. And everything went well. The Journey Begins On the night before the journey, I was excited about what awaited me. I knew that the first day was going to be the biggest day and I liked that. The weather forecast was looking good too. Friday - Set up Before we set off to cycle to Paraparaumu beach, I got to check out the Raumati Scout den. Raumati Scout leader Belinda came down to meet us and showed me around. It was very well looked after den. There was a surprise note that said ‘enjoy your stay from the Kaputi coasters from jamboree’ with their logo. So we wrote a message back with a very impressive Porirua pirates picture which is what we were at the jamboree. We had to bike from Raumati south (Where Raumati Scout Den is) to Paraparaumu beach (Where the Kapiti Island ferry is). We were wearing hi vis vests as we were biking along the waterfront roads. But it was very cold. It was -1 degrees as we were biking along the waterfront and my knees were so cold that I couldn’t pedal, they were absolutely frozen! Luckily the temperature raised to a comfortable 12 degrees on the island, and I could do everything fine without being frozen. I’m very fortunate that the two others in my camp, Angus and Connel, were all fine and we challenged ourselves to keep going when it was really cold. Kapiti Nature Tours - Check in Just before we got to the island, we had to have a biosecurity check. What this means is that we had to take all of our bags off and thoroughly examine them to make sure that there were no pests in our bags like seeds, insects, and rats. After that we had to spray our boots with some sort of soap and brush our boots through a brush. We were also told that we can’t put our bags on the ground until we reach the boat, otherwise our bags could get seeds on them. We got our pass to the island and then set off across the road to the boating club.. I would like to thank John Smith from Kapiti Boating club. I popped into the boating club a week prior because we needed somewhere for our bikes to be safe and not get stolen. John let us put our bikes in the bathrooms and we locked them up with our bike locks, and we were good to go to Kapiti. Friday - Kapiti Island This was the highlight of our trip. Kapiti Island. At 9:30 in the morning, we set off on the ferry for the island. Just before we were at the shore, the boat that we were in was still going at full speed. I started to worry as usually boats would’ve slowed down at that point, but our driver smoothly slowed down very quickly. After we got on the island, we had a quick talk from the guide about the trails and the island's history. As soon as that was over, we set off for the Wilkinson track to the top of the island. There were heaps of birds! We took lots of pictures and videos of the sounds of birds, the main ones we saw were Saddle backs, Tuis, Wekas and we even saw a Kakariki bird, of which there are only 100 left in the world! We stopped regularly but still no one had caught up to us. We stopped for a solid 20 minutes at the Hihi feeder, which is where the halfway point to the top is. Only then did people catch up to us. There were just two things I didn't like about the Kapiti island trip. Firstly at the guide's talk, there was the couple that delayed the schedule to the ferry. Their children were screaming and crying so we couldn’t hear the guide properly. Angus and Connel and I all agreed that it was a bit rude. The other thing I didn’t like was at the Hihi feeder. Some tourists were playing music! The only type of music that you want to hear in a nature reserve are birds chirping. It's quite disrespectful to the birds and people who want to see and hear the birds. We had morning tea at the Hihi feeder, there were Wekas galore. All it took was a tiny piece of carrot to attract 3 Wekas. They tried to peck my legs, that was a bit scary. Then we set off for the top again. We were chatting, stopping, and looking at all the bird life that was there. And before we knew it, we were at the junction with the other track! We were then motivated to get to the top, which flew by, and then, we made it! The view at the top was outstanding. We could see from Porirua to Levin. We then ate lunch and went to the old long drop toilet at the top of the island. It smelt like Rotorua on a bad day! And then we headed back down to the bottom. We were just chatting and walking down the track but once we got to the Hihi feeder, something special happened. A big chime of Korimakos, probably 20 of them, were at the Hihi feeder along with the Hihis. I remember that we were talking, and then we just went quiet. The sound was just beautiful to hear. We sat down and just took the beautiful sound in. We were having a snack and then the same 3 Wekas came to peck me for food. We then set off for the bottom again. We were skipping down the island and then, SWOOSH. A kaka bird dive bombed 5 metres away from Angus, he got the fright of his life! We got back to the bottom in good time so we dipped our feet in the beach water, tried some of the spring water from the lake which tasted a bit murky, and said our goodbyes to the island. But remember that boat driver from earlier in the day? Well he sailed us home too. He drove the boat so smoothly, when we got onto the sea tractor on the mainland we didn’t even notice until we saw the trailer with big barricades (so that the boat didn’t fall off). Overall, Kapiti Island was a great experience for all of us and we’d all do it again. After our Kapiti island trip, we biked back to Raumati Scout den. We had burgers and oven chips for dinner and an apple crumble for dessert. We had trouble getting the oven going to cook the chips. We had a fiddle with the dials on the oven and it worked! We then got a bit of free time and went to bed at 10:20pm. But just before we turned the lights out, an unexpected challenge happened. I shut the kitchen door but didn't realise the nib was on, so the door locked behind me! But to make matters worse, the key for the kitchen was on the kitchen bench! So we were locked out of the kitchen! Lucky we didn't have any elements on. To solve this problem, I considered picking the lock, or calling Belinda in case she had a spare key. But then Connel suggested we check if we had any windows open, and we did! So we devised a plan. I lifted Angus up and into the window, Connel held the torch for us. Then bingo, Angus was in, he turned the lights on and unlocked the door. I learnt to always put the key back and double check that the door wasn’t locked before shutting it! Saturday - Biking Journey On Saturday morning we packed up and headed off for the coast road from Raumati South to Ngati toa domain. We were supposed to leave at 9:30 but we ended up leaving at 10 am. We enjoyed our stay at Raumati Scout den and would definitely stay there again. We biked through Queen Elizabeth park, and stopped in Paekakariki. We then filed down Coast road and were in Pukerua Bay before we knew it. When we got to Pukerua Bay, we stopped at the local community gardens to do some work for a badge for an hour. We clipped trees and knocked in posts. After this we had lunch and looked around the garden. After a short bike ride across the village of Pukerua Bay, we arrived at Raroa reserve. We took in the beautiful kohekohe flowers which were quite unique, and then we got to the lookout. It was a great spot to look out to and we saw a whale! We then biked to Ngati toa domain from Pukerua Bay. I found this last bike ride a challenge because I was getting pretty tired. When we got to the Ngati toa den, we set up tents. Connel had to leave early the next morning. So we decided to set up 2 tents instead. Me and Angus were in one tent, and Connell was in the other. That meant Connel could have a good night sleep by himself and get up early to leave without waking others. The setting up of the tents was fun, we played around with the poles but still got them up in good time. For dinner, we made chilli con carne. Later we had bananas, chocolate and marshmallows. Everything went to plan. Sunday - Last day On Sunday morning, we were supposed to go kayaking, but I decided the weather was not suitable for that, it was way too cold. Instead we did a beach clean up from the marina entrance at mana cruising club to the eastern channel marker of the Porirua harbour channel marker. We got lots of rubbish. I emailed Porirua city council about the gorse on the Whitireia reserve park. Conclusion Overall, I enjoyed my camp. I would totally do it again. And I would take my experience from this past camp and do what I think would work better, like getting places on time, and changing my shopping list to have less of some things. If I had to break down my main highlight every day it would be… Friday: The entire Kapiti Island trip. Saturday: Seeing the whale at Raroa Reserve Sunday: The beach clean up on Ngati Toa beach. Acknowledgments I would like to thank Derrick and Kem who are my scout leaders, Kapiti Nature Tours, John Smith, Belinda Tomkinson, Raumati Scouts, Pukerua Bay Community Gardens, Ngati Toa Sea Scouts, Porirua Council, and the McIntosh family - the boys Angus and Connel, and their parents. Without any of you I probably wouldn't have done this. More Pictures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/RyxYVcunukTTo57B6

    • 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

    • Maddy's Chief Scout Adventurous Journey
      • My Camp Report By Madeline Knapp (27 Jun 2024) 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 Pauatahnui 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 de-rigged boats and built bivvy. 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 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 well. We stayed together as a group Organization 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 Overestimated badge work because I scheduled to much time 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 activities because we had time for more things. I would do more biking I would spend less time on badge work because I put too much time This is my report

    • 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

    • 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

    • Trinaya and Ellie Chief Scout Adventurous Journey (Trinaya)
      • Chief Scout Rimu Award Adventurous Journey by Trinaya Bharath Day 1 Ellie & I reached the den at 4:30. That's when the last of the food prep happened. Rummaging through the scout food then biking down to New World to buy something for breakfast the next day. Tara & Maya reached the den. After quick checks of the bike we explained the route. We started in a single file line so we don't lose anyone. Ellie at the front and me at the back. We biked calmly for 25 mins till we were halfway through the Ara Harakeke pathway. By this time it was extremely dark. Ellie didn't have a torch so I went in the front. 5 mins later, I noticed that there were only 3 people. Maya was way behind us. She had stopped and no one noticed. So I went in the back again, Tara went beside Ellie to provide some light. As we entered Pukerua bay, Maya’s bike started acting up. The pedals were jammed. The rest of us got off our bikes and spent 10 whole mins trying to fix it. We turned it upside down and tried spinning it. Suddenly it just started working again! Soon we reached Pukerua bay den. We met Livvy, Maddie & Ruben there. After getting all our things inside, we sat down together and looked through oceans badge things. Watched videos about deep-sea trawling and questions about how that was bad. E.t.c By this time it was 8ish pm. The rest of the night was spent playing cards and chilling Day 2 We woke up to maddie’s stunning alarm blaring at 6am.(note the sarcasm) At 6 30 was when we actually started getting up. By 7 30 breakfast was finished. During the tidy up, everyone was kinda slacking but since we have a small amount of people, we still got things done quite quickly. Our plan was to start from Puk Bay at 8 and at we were exactly on schedule. I was in the front and livvy was in the back. Every few minutes, i would check to make sure i could see Livvy so we didn't lose anybody. Unfortunately parkrun was on at the same time so we had to navigate through a bunch of runners. But I saw my dad! We biked calmly without any problems for the next hour until we reached the lighthouse cinema. We were were 45 mins early. We learned that that it only takes and hour to bike to the cinema. In our spare time we were talking and made a stop at the airy to buy snacks for the movie. At 10:15 we were allowed inside so theatre so we went and made ourselves comfy. A couple mins later we saw kirsten’s family and Cath and Amelia. The movie was pretty good. Ellie fell asleep near the end. ;p The bike ride back was way faster. I think everyone was rejuvenated after the movie. We reached the den around 1:40. After 15 mins on relaxing, me, Ellie, Tara & Maya grabbed some gloves, paper bags, a grabber thing and we set off to the beach. For about an hour we walked on the sand picking up all the rubbish we could see. There was a surprisingly large amount of plastic there. We managed to fill up both the bags to the brim. Afterwards, maddie taught some level five biking skill things. Now we had a lot of free time. I learned that we should have probably planned a few more things. In the middle we helped the leaders rig/derig boats. Then we made dinner and watched another movie. The leaders then called us for a review. We ended up changing some of the plans for As we were about to go to sleep, Derrick came in and started spraying us with red, glitter hairspray. My scalp was sticky and red was 2 WHOLE DAYS after that! What was hard and what could have been better Finding dairy free food. Over-buying food Lots of free time Could have done more biking What went well Had all equipment Finished oceans badge Twas Fun Level 5 biking badge Planning Emailing lighthouse cinema - Trinaya Oceans Badge - Ellie Food - Trinaya & Ellie Gear list - Trinaya & Ellie Letter - Trinaya & Ellie More photographs available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sQwFcyysexVusrnw7

    • Onepoto Regatta
      • A great day out, Ngati Toa got to welcome St James, Britannia, Tarapunga and best of all, after a long hiatus, Westshore from Napier. A few more pictures are here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/8KQrwbaCX9vqcgos5 SAILING SUNBURST 1st 2nd 3rd Junior Intermediate Senior Ngati Toa (982) St James (1501) Britannia (1835) Open Bounty (514) St James (1501) CUTTER 1st 2nd 3rd Junior St James (192) Ngati Toa (69) Britannia (80) Intermediate St James (192) Tarapunga (221) Ngati Toa (219) Senior St James (192) Britannia (80) Tarapunga (221) Open ROWING 1st 2nd 3rd Junior St James Ngati Toa Britannia Intermediate St James Ngati Toa Britannia Senior Britannia Ngati Toa Tarapunga / St James Open St James Bounty Ngati Toa KAYAKING 1st 2nd 3rd Junior Ngati Toa Tarapunga Britannia Intermediate St James Ngati Toa Senior Britannia St James Ngati Toa IRON SCOUT 1st 2nd 3rd Junior Britannia Ngati Toa Tarapunga Intermediate Ngati Toa St James Britannia Senior Britannia Ngati Toa Tarapunga Open St James Ngati Toa Britannia SEAMANSHIP 1st 2nd 3rd Junior Tarapunga Britannia St James Senior Westshore Britannia St James

    • Quinn's awesome adventurous journey
      • Chief Scout Rimu Award Adventurous Journey On saturday the 1st of july i led 4 scouts including me into the orongorongos with the aim to get to shalimar hut, a private hut owned by one of kim's friends jenny. We were very happy and grateful that she let us use it when walking in. We were happy talking and when we hit the river and got off the track we started listening to music. Then we hit the big river where Derrick and Kym were waiting for us on the other side. They taught us how to cross over properly which everyone felt very insightful. We kept walking to the hut picking up some good firewood. On the way we had to leave some of it at the bottom of the track because it was too big to take up so we would have to come back to saw it up, and get more. Once we got to the hut we left our packs outside and had some snacks which made everyone happy because they didn't have their packs. We got some saws and went back to find more firewood. And saw it up so that we could bring it up the track. Everyone enjoyed using the saws and when we got back to the hut we left the firewood outside so that we could restock it later. We went inside for the first time, brought our packs in and picked our bed. Which everyone enjoyed as we looked around and found where everything was. We then got the food out and put it on the table. Unfortunately our bag of nacho chips popped so instead of having pasta that night we had nachos which everyone enjoyed. Then we talked about short term thinking, hate, prejudice, and types of conflicts and ways to resolve them in order to get our peace education better world badge. We talked while we toasted some marshmallows and ate some biscuits which people enjoyed. The next day we got up and had weetabix and rice bubbles with peaches and packed our lunch and thermals for the walk. We got our map with the planned route on it and set off into the bush on the track down to the river then walked along until we found the track stopping at the entrance of it to look at Baine Iti the oldest hut in the orongorongos then we walked up there was a lot of steep incline and we decided that we should have taken two packs instead of one so it was a good learning experience. We planned to go up to the top but everyone was hungry when we got to the south saddle so we stopped and ate lunch there. Then it started snowing and we stood there for a couple of minutes with our hands out and our mouths open trying to catch some. When we got there we talked about it and decided not to go to the summit. So we walked back down and found our arrow back to the slightly hidden track through the bush and back to the hut. When we got there derrick had found a piece of wood and Kym had found some axes and saws so derrick taught us how to split wood and once we did that we moved on to sawing up some of our firewood that we found the day before and restocked Jennys firewood reserves to replenish the wood we used. Then we went inside as it started to rain. For a game of scrabble which unfortunately Derrick and Kim won. Then we made dinner which was pasta and I found out that no one in our group likes mixed vegetables. We made too much pasta so I also learnt that I needed to buy smaller portions. After dinner we used a camp oven to make a cake in a cup. The marshmallows that we put into it melted but the actual cake was ok. Then we filmed our domestic violence video and went to bed. In the morning we woke up and made our pancake batter than one of us cooked it while the others cleaned up and packed the food into our packs. Once all of the pancakes were all done we took a little break to eat them and they were really good. Then we cleaned the dishes and got back to cleaning the hut. We finished that quickly and left for the tramp back. We walked quickly, beating our time that it took us to get in and less stopping too. We got out and had lunch in the carpark. We then went back to the den, put the saveable food back in the den and went home. All in all I would say it was a successful trip. Some more pictures are available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/huAzmkscKBYXacXy5

    • Hannah, Rose and Hamish 's big snow adventure
      • Chief Scout Rimu Award Adventurous Journey On the our group we were taking to our camp met up at the den to get some things ready to take with us. After 15 minutes we took off in our car groups to go to palmerston north, we took a pit stop half way through to stretch our legs at Hawera to walk up to the Hawera water tower. The walk was short but very steep, my legs ached by the time we reached the top of the hill where the water tower was placed. This water tower has a spiral staircase with 215 steps! I was incredibly dizzy when I got to the top. Hannah, Hamish, Amelia, Kalina, Trinaya, and Rosie joined me and we all were amazed by the view, it was a lovely view that looked over the river Tanga Hoe River, we spotted a huge metal ball placed on the grass by the bank next the river. We began the trek down, it was even more dizzying the 2nd time though. The boys, Matt, Connor and Toby didnt join us, their loss though. We ate some lunch up there and then we walked down. There was a tunnel at the very bottom leading the the elevator which the leaders were going to take but then later discovered that it was broken. We took a nice photo in there. It was quite echoey in there and the boys went in for a bit when left. Not very social of them. When we met up with the leaders again we went to the near by Paknsave to pick up our food. Unfortunately later when we were at the the cabin we discovered we’d forgotten a few bags that were in a different locker to our other food. But then after that we went back into our cars and set off to our final destination for the day, Konini Lodge. When we got there is was very foggy and covered in forestry. It was so beautiful we were above the clouds. Dinner was burgers and then was it we realized we had forgotten the other bags at paknsave. Hannah and Hamish drove back with a leader while I was there to keep an eye on the others to make sure they didnt burn the place down. Not very ideal considering we were sharing the cabin with many other people. There were 3 or 4 other rooms there with 1 big kitchen in the middle separating the room big common rooms, with symmetrical kitchen applyiences and layouts. There was 1 hallway down the side with the 2 bathrooms and drying room. Thankfully Hannah and Hamish came back to nobody harmed or anything broken. We were all incredibly bored. I was just a teensy bit hyper, drawing on the windows, being told to sit down by Kalina and Hannah while Rosie brought her sleeping bag out next to the table and just found a spot to sleep on the ground (keep in mind there was a perfectly fine cabin across the room from us) and just, slept. Conner, Matt and Toby found a blow up baseball bat and ball so they played with that for a while, although quite proud of them for not annoying the neighbours. After we had dinner we did a review on the day, all was good but the paknsave incident came up alot. But that finished up quickly and we calmed down for a bit and then headed off to bed, it had been a long day and we needed the sleep. The next day we woke up and had some breakfast which was just some toast and cereal. But then came then we had to mentally prepare oursleves for a trecherous climb up Mt Taranaki. We set off at about 10am and there were, so, many, stairs. Majority of it was just straight stairs. We had music thanks to Matts great playlist and Hamish bringing his speaker so it made the climb faster and more enjoyable. We reached the point where we were out in the open and no longer in the trees, the view up the Mountain was so pretty and awesome but we couldnt stop, not then. We werent even halfway up. I found it really entertaining watching Rosie catch pokemons with the app on her phone. Finally after hours of walking we reached the halfway checkpoint. There we had some morning tea and looked at the view and all the graffiti sprewn all over the walls. The view was even more spectacular. “Hey, its not that bad, were halfway there. And atleast its only stars and not a straight up cliff” I told everyone. Very optimistic of me. We ate some food there and carried on up the mountain. The boys rushed off ahead and just sped up the mountain. Ages later we reached a hut. Stratford Hut. It was a private one so we just sat outside enjoying some talk with the leaders and soaking in the breaktaing view. We didnt walk up to the very top but Kym and Derrick took the boys and led them up the mountain even more, but the rest of us walked down too tired to do any more. My legs literally died hahah. It was so worth it though, the view was amazing! The steps down were almost as tough as the steps up! I tripped a few times but never fell over thankfully, it wouldved been painful. We had some interesting convos on the way down, one of them planning to go to the gym, but it went by so quickly! When we got down to the bottom, we went to the information center and ate some lunch and watched the thick fog pass by. I had to dibbs the shower because i wanted one so badly! But when we got there I rushed off to the shower while the others put on some music and played Ps & As the card game. I joined in like 5 rounds later and then left again to get my socks on because it was COLD! After that we all went to the cabin and got on the top bunks and played some baseball with the blowup bat and the blowup ball. It was *interesting*. Nothing got broken thankfully but it was very fun and we got lots of laughs out of it. Then after an amazing hour or so, Matt, Connor, Toby, Derrick and Kym came back and we just chilled for a bit. We had dinner a bit later and it was Nachos, a scout classic. I cant quite remember what we had for desert but I do remember matt making some questionable images with whipped cream on his plate (THAT STILL HAD THE NACHO JUICE ON IT!!) and ate it. I felt quite sick afterwards. Then we had the BEST idea to ambush the leaders while wearing teshirts as masks to conceal our identities. It was very interesting, Matt came up with a whole game plan and everything. I think we slept a little better that night after a long day of climbing for several hours straight :). The next morning we all slowly got up and out of bed and had some breakfast, we had some bacon, cereal and whipped cream which made me nauseous. Our main goal for that day was to pack up before 11. Somebody put on some VERY helpful songs like itsy bitsy spider and the clean up song, in courtesy of Connor. We ended up singing some taylor swift songs during that. I think i should also mention some taylor swift songs I now know of by heart, theres never been a camp that ive been on with Hannah (within the last year and a half) where I HAVENT learned some songs off by heart, anyway. We packed up by 10:30 and we took off leaving the hut better than how we found it. The drive back went by too quickly, so fast I can’t even remember where we stopped for lunch! Anyway we get back to the den and everyone gets picked up, everyone of happy and tired, so thats a win in my book. Overall I think the camp wasn’t quite a success, couldve been better but it was near a success. If only it werent for the paknsave incident, it wouldve been perfect. More pictures are available here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/XCuJqdA9iXYphfrT9

    • Matt and Connors Taupo Chill Camp
      • Taupo Camp review Mine bay carvings We started off the trip by going sailing, we did this the first day we went, our goal was to get to mine bay and back to see the Maori carvings, the sail up there was relatively uneventful and the wind was mostly in our favor. We arrived at mine bay (under oar power due to the wind dropping off), and were approaching the carvings when we encountered a large catamaran (a commercial tour boat), the catamaran was about 5 meters away from the carvings and looking like it was about to leave, we approached the carvings and two of the 3 boats we had taken out (cutters) went in front and around on the carvings side of the catamaran. The other boat we had went around the back and was in quite close proximity to the catamaran, understandably panicking the captain of the catamaran yelled at us over a P.A system, the scouts quickly cleared away from the catamaran and it sailed away, the scouts were quite shook and we proceeded to go jumping and swimming off a rock and later called the harbourmaster and Kym and Derrick talked to them. In the future we should have more understanding of the limitations of commercial boats and a plan for how we can be around them – how close we can get and what support we might need from patrol boats. It was a good learning experience because we became more aware of other boats and the things that can go wrong. The experience of our crews being yelled at was awful. We learned that it is important to acknowledge these things but to manage them calmly at the time – not to make a big deal of it – but also not to ignore it – to own up to our role in when things go wrong and the contribution we made. We filed an incident report afterwards and notified the harbor master and our zone leader. Program changes During the 5 day camp we experienced 2 main program changes, Firstly the planned pool trip(s), We had planned to go to the pools multiple times during the duration of the camp, but we later changed our minds due to not everyone being able to go to the pools. On the camp we firmly believed in 100% participation and we (and the group) decided against the pools. Secondly was the river float We had planned to float down the Taupo point of the Waikato river, however we decided against doing this due to the conditions of the river and we did not feel it would be sensible to go with the group that we were with. It was unfortunate we could not do this but the group were not too upset and we still had a fun day of activities instead. The process of organizing the camp The process of organizing this camp was a new experience for both me and Connor and we were helped by Kym and Derrick. We found this to be a new and exciting process for us, and in the end very rewarding seeing the camp come to flourish. Running the camp When Connor and I led the camp it was certainly trying something new, we had lead before but certainly not in this capacity and control and we thought that it was quite a cool experience for us. Seeing all the scouts playing and enjoying the scouts was quite rewarding as we had started from pretty much scratch (with leader help) and it had blossomed into this awesome experience. We thought that the level of help from the Kaiarahi was perfect and they neither interfered to much nor not to stepped back. So we could go to them when we needed advice or recommendations of what to do. They also mentioned that they had enjoyed the camp more than previously and us leading definitely helped them do that. Afterward After the camp both we were both completely drained, we put this down to mainly the tons of decisions and thinking that leading takes, we reckon we could have delegated more to the senior scouts as that would have ultimately taken some load off of our shoulder, we also reckon that we should have done some more coaching to the juniors so they could lead more camp stuff. In the end though we were really happy to have done it as I can say confidently everyone really enjoyed the camp and that's definitely true for us too. Letter to council Hi there Taupo Council, We are Connor and Mathew from Ngati Toa Sea Scouts. Over the summer holidays we stayed at the Lake Taupo scout den on the lake. It was amazing location, and a great place to stay. Over the course of our time there, we have been completed our Community Better World badge, this badge includes doing experiences, which was walking the Y2K trail, collecting information about the history of Kinloch and the trail which we all shared, As part of our better world badge we chose to do some community service and help clean up some of the local waterfront around to five mile bay, we ended up with about 2 full paper bags, there was very little rubbish (considering the distance we walked) but we noticed that there was quite the load of dog poo, and we wondered if installing dog poop bags and bins could positively impact the local area and reduce the amount of dog poo along the waterfront. It was really awesome to be able to sail around to mine bay in our cutters for a day. On behalf of Ngāti Toa Sea Scouts, we’d like to thank you for having access to such amazing facilities such as the Lake Taupo Scout den. Your’s in scouting, Connor and Mathew More pictures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/YYFEX9J15X5whM3LA

    • Venture fund raiser raffle - Prize draw results
      • As part of their effort to get themselves to the seminal event in a Venturers time at Scouts, the Ngati Toa Venturers held a raffle with some awesome prizes. The draw was concluded last night, with the actual draw performed by a member of our NZ Police force. Congratulations to the lucky winners for our Ignite Fundraiser Raffle!!1st prize was a Interislander Voucher - ticket number 3362nd prize was a Coffee Machine - ticket number 383rd prize was a Bunnings voucher - ticket number 394th Prize was a French Kiss Boutique Voucher - ticket number 1119And last but not least 5th Prize was a Tuk Tuk Thai voucher - won by ticket number 1393.Was a great success , plus a special thanks to our leaders and Gareth for coming in and doing the draw!

    • Amelia & Kalinas' Adventurous Journey
      • Chief Scout Rimu Award Adventurous Journey Amelias Report Plan Before we started our adventurous journey we had to plan. Between us we planned A gear list Equipment we needed to take A menu and subsequently a Shopping list The route we took The logistics We also filled out a rams form. Do We started our tramp at our scout den from which we were driven to Avalon park by a parent who we had organised to drive us prior. We then had some fun at the park including a train ride around the park. We started walking at around 2pm and walked down the river to St James scout den, where we were staying the night. We made a dinner of Nachos including a vegetarian version and headed to bed. In the morning we cooked a breakfast of pancakes and then set off on our walk to Days Bay ferry terminal. All of our scouts managed very well on the busy road, staying to the side and crossing properly when needed. We arrived at Days Bay earlier than expected and spent some time on the wharf. We caught the ferry to Matiu/Somes Island. When we arrived at the island we underwent a biosecurity check and had to empty our packs to look for rats, mice and insects. We then went up to our accommodation Caretakers Cottage where we were staying and dropped our bags off. We explored the island for a little while, looking out for lizards and other wildlife. Unfortunately we did not see any lizards but saw some birds and sheep. On the way back we stopped at the visitor centre and had a look around. Later we made a delicious dinner of Mac and Cheese which everyone very much enjoyed. When it got dark we headed down to the beach to see the penguins. It took a little while for them to come out but when we saw them it was worth it. We went back up to the cottage seeing penguins as far up as the cottage. In the morning we again cooked pancakes but much better this time and set off to do some orienteering. We ended up just exploring the island as we couldn’t find the orienteering. We didn’t get to explore for long as the first ferry broke down and we had to catch an earlier one than intended to Queens wharf. We had wraps for lunch and then caught the train to Mana and walked to the scout den. Review After we got to the den we had a little review of our tramp. We discussed our favourite parts of the trip, what we had seen and things we could have improved. We then shared a presentation about our time on Matiu/Somes island to the cubs the following week. We also reconciled our budget and reimbursed where necessary. Kalinas Report Plan: Before going on this journey me and Amelia had to plan loads of things. Such as the following: Planning a menu Shopping list Gear list The route Logistics Budget A gear check RAMS Form AIF Do: We started our trip by meeting at the den, then got driven to Avalon park in lower hutt. We ate lunch, played a bit and even rode on the little train. Our next destination was St James scout den. We got there by walking along a trail by the river and it ended up being roughly a 2 hour walk. When we arrived we all chose where we wanted to sleep and played card games till we decided we should make dinner. After finishing our amazingly made Nacho's (Thanks Amelia and Ellie) we all went to bed and woke up refreshed in the morning. We packed up and ate a breakfast of pancakes then we were ready to go. We walked between the motorway and waterfront for 2-3 hours till we reached day's bay. Our scouts were very responsible along the busy road and listened to all instructions and wore high vis on their packs. The weather wasn't that great that day so while we waited for our ferry we found shelter under a bus stop and ate our lunch (which was some yummy wraps). When the ferry arrived we caught it to Matiu/Somes island. When we arrived we were asked to do a biosecurity check and had to empty out our packs. After that we walked up to our accommodations known as the caretakers cottage. Not too long after arriving we decided to go on a short walk to the lighthouse as well as exploring other various parts of the island. We stopped to look at the boards of information on the way and became preoccupied by a painted rock with a cat on it. We returned to make a delicious pot of mac n cheese (your welcome) and once around the table we shared something we had learned about the island to go towards our better world badges. But by far our favourite thing that happened on the trip was our encounter with the little blue penguins. A bit before it got dark we walked down to the beach to wait for the penguins. We could not find any for a while but we eventually spotted penguins huddled by a bush. They had set off a night vision light so we were able to see them in the dark. It was absolutely incredible to see them waddle up the hill to their boxes. We spotted some on the way up even all the way by our cottage! After that we got some sleep and woke up ready for our last day (even though some people took a while to get up cough cough me). Then we all ate a breakfast of pancakes and left for our day's activities. We decided to do some orienteering. Unfortunately we didn't get to properly start what we had planned when we had to leave the island due to the earlier ferry breaking down. We were a bit disappointed but quickly cheered up when we got to ride up the top of the ferry doing titanic poses. Upon arrival we ate our lunch and headed to the train station. We caught the train back to mana,signed our flag and had a quick review with Derrick and our other leaders. Review: When we got back to the den we reviewed our tramp with the leaders. We asked the younger scouts how they thought it went and how they think we could improve it next time. The feedback we got was very positive. We shared a presentation to the cubs about the island and a bit about our journey. We also reconciled our budget and refunded where necessary. More pictures here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sAvAcR7G8U3FRmqj6

    • Harbour Race
      •  A fantastic harbour in great conditions meant a great race.  The weather while overcast was not cold.  But then neither was it warm. The downwind start brought the fleet together for the only time in the race with all the boats crossing the line within a few minutes.  There after they were all spread across the harbour. Course was Evans Bay, Somes Island, Ward Island and back to Evans Bay. The courseIt was a great day out sailing, and even our flotilla of safety boats managed to have a little fun. Ngāti Toa Patrol 1 Kiori Awa from St James (Operated by Bounty Rovers) The whaler impressing everyone with a ful suite of sails Senior winners rounding the island Results were record in true scouting style Results Harbour Race1st2nd3rdScout CutterSt JamesParaparaumuNgāti ToaVenturer SunburstNgāti ToaSt JamesBritannia A few more pictures herehttps://photos.app.goo.gl/TzNfeyfCyJ4m2C737

    • Wellington Airport Community awards
      • Voting has opened for the volunteer awards and as we were Poriru winners, we are now up for the big one. The people’s choice awards have opened for the Welllington regional volunteer awards  Thes is the link to the Peoples Choice where you can vote : https://www.wellingtonairport.co.nz/community/wellington-airport-community-awards/community-awards/community-awards-peoples-choice-award-2021/

    • Wairakei Camp, Taupō (Blue Contingent)
      • Written by Jesse - Bosun (with Bronson) of the Blue Contingent  On day zero we were down at the den at 8 getting ready to drive to taupo. The weather on the way up was wild, in Levin it was raining and then the next hour it was sunshine and 25 degrees. Me Bronson and James sadly got separated at the last moment. Day one at camp the blue group was headed for Rotorua, before we went to our campsite/den in ngonotaha we stopped at the amazing Redwood Treewalk. The walk itself was incredible with the option of walking twenty metres up along some massive trees, after the cool walk we went for a swim at the Blue Lake which was nice and refreshing. After the lake we went back to the Ngonotaha den and setup tents and then we went back to do tree walk at night, we didn’t get into bed until 1am, we were all really tired the next day. Ruby, Annaliese, Bronson, Jesse, James & Megan in the Redwoods Treewalk On day two we went on more walks, and we walked to a fun lake with a wharf. I also forgot to mention it was NEW YEARS EVE. Me, James, Matthew, Connor and Bronson where all just Vibing during the party The Blue Contingent at Sulpher Point Standing on the rocks L-R: Rose, Hannah, Hamish, Ruby, Annaliese, Sam Standing/sitting L-R: Jacob, Bronson, James, Ash, Jesse, Toby, Kalina, Alex, Lily, Emyr, Sean Blue Contingent - the group jump into the lake On day three we had a sailing day and we tried to get out to the Māori carvings but there was not enough wind and we only got halfway. And I probably got some bad sunburn on my lips which is still hurting now Emyr on helm, Annaliese on main, Hannah and James on jib and Rose as bowman Ash on helm, Lily bailing, Freddy on main, Toby and Kalina on jib Ruby on helm, Grant, Connor on main, Alex and Hamish on jib Over the next few days, we went river floating which was cool because we got to see the amazing bungee jump and hot pools, we got to go to a sweet as mountain bike park with amazing tracks that I did with Toby. Inner tubes on the Waikato River - a great way to see the scenery Sean entering the MTB park We also spent another day sailing and we made it to the carvings and got to jump off a cool rock. The "cool rock" Rose and Hannah in fron of the main Maori carving On our final day we got to do a white-water raft down Tongariro river with James which was the best part of my trip because I have never gone rafting before. Kym, Amelia, Annaliese, Charlie, Ciara, Gabi Rosie, James, Angus, Jesse, Magnus, Sean Matt, Grant, Emyr, Kalina, Dougal, Ethan On our last day it was the worst part because we had to pack everything away and drive home which took forever but Neil brought me as I did get to go home and see my family and sleep in my own be and not a stretcher.

    • Wairakei Camp, Taupō (Green Contingent)
      • Written by Rosie & Calvin - Bosuns of the Green Contingent Day one: Everyone woke up quite early and drove over to the scout den still half asleep. Once everyone had arrived we started to attach the boats to the cars and sorted out who was going in what car. Once everything was done we started to drive up to Wairakei primary school. On the way, we stopped at Taihape to stretch our legs and have some lunch. After we got to the school everyone helped set up tents and unpacked all of the gear. Next, we ate the lovely dinner that the Venturers had prepared for us and went to bed ready for the days of fun and excitement that were to come.  The stop in Taihape for lunch Setting up camp at the schoolDay two: We had mountain biking. We were to split into groups of three or more and were then free to explore the variety of trails that the park had to offer. Most people had lunch on their own time by the maps (where the cool box was), or in-between trails. After mountain biking, everyone was thoroughly hot and tired, so there was a trip to AC Baths in the afternoon where everyone had an amazing time before heading back to camp for a good sleep.  Hamish, Magnus, Charlie and Ethan in various states of excitement for the mountain bikingDay three: We woke up at around eight and had some breakfast. After that, we got all of the stuff we needed and we drove over to the scout den and started to rig up some boats. Once all of the boats were rigged up everyone made lunch and then sorted out the crews. After that, we put the boats on the water and went for a relaxing sail. Sadly it wasn’t windy enough and it was going to take too long to get to the Maori carvings so we just went back to the den de-rigged the boats and went for a swim. Ethan & Ciara & crew sailing on Lake TaupōAfter dinner on the 31st, it wasn’t long before the Venturers had thrown a full-on new years party for the scouts and leaders, complete with glow sticks, balloons, and youtube just dance.  The Venturer hosted New Years Party On New Year’s Day, we used the inner tubes to float down the Waikato River for a few hours, it was a really fun, chill time which we needed after the amazing party the night before. Near the end of the float, we also stopped to sit in some of Taupo’s famous hot pools for a while and had a great time with that as well. All in all a wonderful day.  Sitting around in the hot poolsDay five: Everyone woke up at around eight and started to get ready for the day ahead. Once we were ready we had breakfast, made lunch, and drove over to the den. Like day three there wasn’t much wind so we just went swimming and used the boats as bombing platforms. Other than that we didn’t do anything else. It was just a nice chilled-out day at the den.  Sailing races when pride is at stake, but the wind is not co-operatingDay six: We packed our bags ready for an overnight trip to Rotorua, where we did the Redwoods Treewalk and later had a fun stop at a lake for a while afterward. Later on in the evening after setting up our campsite we went to see some glow worms and took the Treewalk again before a nice, early bedtime of 2:00 am.  The light show in the Redwoods at nightDay seven: We all had a long sleep-in before we got started on our way back to Taupo. On the way there we stopped at a lake to go swimming and cool ourselves off. The only problem was that the lake was horrible, it was filled with duck poo, fish, algae, and other stuff that no one would want to touch. So instead we went to a river. The river was nice and cool and it had a big enough drop-off to be able to bomb into. After our swim, we came back to camp and just hung out for the rest of the afternoon.  Day eight: Whitewater rafting & swimming  On day eight the camp woke up early for breakfast in preparation for the drive to Tongariro for whitewater rafting. Scouts 13 and over were allowed to do level three, while under 13s went on level two. After rafting, we had lunch at a park, drove to Taupo scout den, swam for a while, and had dinner there.  Top left going forward: The guide, Ash, Ruby & Hamish Top right going forward: Neil, Hamish Brown, & Bronson L-R: guide, Rosie, James, Angus, Jesse, Magnus, Sean Top left going forward: guide, Matt, Grant, Emyer Top Right going forward: Kalina, Dougal, Ethan L-R: Kym, Amelia, Annaliese, Charlie, Ciara, GabiDay nine: Our last day on camp. Everyone woke up early, packed up everything, and then had breakfast. After that, we hopped into cars and drove back to the den with a few stops along the way. When we got back to the den we unpacked everything and had a talk about the many thousands of things that we did. Once that was over we all went home knowing that we had an amazing camp. Final debrief

    • Wairakei Camp, Taupō (Leaders summary)
      • 60kg or rubbish and 40kg of recycling were some of the measurable outcomes of this camp, however, what is not measurable is the experiences gained and life lessons learned. What is also a fact is that we went through screeds of sunscreen.  With temperatures regularly hitting the 30’s and our activities almost exclusively outdoors, the scouts were applying 3, 4 and sometimes 5 times a day.  And even with that we had some who had some very red patches. As with any camp, there is a team of very effective leaders making it all happen: Neil, Rachel, Grant, Kym, Dougal, Angus and Robin.  A huge thank you to them all.  And also to those other section leaders, scout helpers and associates who also stepped in to help: Megan, Dene, Nicki and Ross.  When next you see them, please acknowledge the effort they put into this camp.  It has been massive. Setting up camp when we arrived We also had support from Wairakei Primary School – Thank you fcor allowing us to use the school grounds and hall buildings.  They were absolutely great for this camp and provided a great base for all of our activities1st Taupo Scouts – Thank you for allowing us to use your Sea Scout Ship (Den), Boats and other equipment including the electric winch for pulling the boats up the ramp.1st Ngongataha Scout Group – For the use of their Scout Den near Rotorua for our overnight stay there, and the advice on what would be suitable activities.We will let the scouts tell you about their experiences, but the main activities consisted of:In TaupoWhite Water River RaftingMountain BikingRiver Float on the Waikato RiverSailing, Swimming, and other water activities on the Lake, including sailing to the Maori carvings at Mine BayRose and Hannah at the Maori Carvings in Mine BayIn RotoruaRedwoods TreewalkThe Blue Lake in RotoruaThe Mud PoolsOkere FallsWaiotapu Hot Pools / Kerosene CreekHannah on Rose and Hamish on Kalina at the Blue Lake in Rototua Blue Contingent at the Mud Pools of Waiotapu Back Row L-R: Robin, Grant ash, Sean, Emyr, Jacob, James, Kym, Megan, Sam Rose Front Row L-R: Ruby, Kalina, Annaliese, Hannah, Alex, Bronson, Jesse, Lily, Toby, Hamish From left: Emyr, Sean, Lily, Sam, Alex, Ruan, Toby, Jame, Ash - Looking out over Sulphur Point Ruby & Annaliese enjoying ice blocks at the 1st Ngongotaha Scout Den where we spent the night We were more people this year than last year at Whakaipo Bay.  48 of us left the den to head up to Taupō and enjoy 9 days of great adventure.  As per last year, we were unable to accommodate the whole group at some activities, so split the group in two and went separate ways in contingents (Blue – lead by Jesse and Bronson, and Green – lead by Rosie and Calvin). As per last year the weather played a big part in what we did.  However, rather than wind we had to contend with sun and heat.  Looking for shade and water to cool down became a theme and the ring of “Have you put sunscreen on?” is probably still echoing in some scouts ears. This year as per last, we had to arrange an anchor watch for the boats.  They were left in the water overnight for three nights and the scouts each did a 2 hour shift over the hours of darkness keeping an eye on the boats, as per the Taupō Harbour Masters request. The boats at anchor outside the Sea Scout Den The campsite this year was at Wairakei Primary School, a little way outside of Taupō and not a place where we based any activities, so everywhere was a drive to get to.  Our meals were made there and we all ate together in the hall.  The big playground made an excellent soccer field and a lot of the scouts used their downtime to play or simply wander away in small groups.  The climbing frames were another good escape. Soccer played on the school field My personal opinion is that this camp was better than the last, although the heat put a damper on things a little and being longer, it was more tiring.  I think if you ask the scouts it will be this camp, hands down, that they will remember for the longest. Now looking forward to the next camp ...

    • Petone Regatta
      • SAILING SUNBURST1st2nd3rdJuniorParaparaumuNgati ToaSt JamesIntermediateNgati ToaBritanniaSt JamesSeniorSt JamesBritanniaNgati ToaOpenBritanniaNgati ToaParaparaumu CUTTER1st2nd3rdJuniorSt JamesNgati ToaParaparaumuIntermediateSt JamesNgati ToaParaparaumuSeniorSt JamesBritanniaNgati ToaOpenSt JamesParaparaumuNgati Toa ROWING 1st2nd3rdJuniorSt JamesBritanniaNgati ToaIntermediateSt JamesBritanniaParaparaumuSeniorSt JamesNgati ToaBritanniaOpenSt JamesNgati ToaParaparaumu Overall results PointsGroup41St James31Ngati Toa26Britannia22Paraparaumu Beach Bounty Rovers

    • Spinnakers in flight
      • For the first time in many years, we have some Venturers who are keen on getting the spinnakers out on the Sunbursts and learning how to use them.  The venturer leaders and Grant assisted them on Wednesday night to get it all rigged up and sailing.  Below are a couple of beautiful pictures:

    • Onepoto Regatta
      • Fantastic weather and a fantastic attitude brought us an unexpected result.  Victory at our home regatta! There were some superb individuals in all age groups. Some for their ability to do the competition stuff really well, and some who were just there to be involved and have fun.  Smiles were witnessed all around.   Some special mentions (and these are certainly not all as I am only one person and can't be everywhere) The venturers for just getting on and doing it, whenever they were asked, whatever they were asked.Ruan and Rosie producing a photo finish in the Intermediate Sunburst race, which gave the group the win, whichever way it went.Our Juniors in the rowing, pouring out heart and soul over the long course and even getting the technique rightHannah and Bronson for bringing home Kayaking victories.Zoe and Maddy for helping the Leaders claim a Cutter sailing victoryI said this last year and I will repeat it this year.  Ngati Toa as a group really pull together at these events and just get everything done. I apologise, but this year for some reason we don't have any pictures, but hopefully at future regattas we will remember. SAILING SUNBURST1st2nd3rdJuniorParaparaumuSt JamesNgati ToaIntermediateNgati ToaSt JamesParaparaumuSeniorSt JamesNgati ToaBritanniaOpenSt JamesNgati ToaBritannia CUTTER1st2nd3rdJuniorSt JamesParaparaumuNgati ToaIntermediateSt JamesNgati ToaBritanniaSeniorSt JamesNgati ToaBritanniaOpenNgati ToaSt JamesParaparaumu ROWING 1st2nd3rdJuniorSt JamesBritanniaNgati ToaIntermediateSt JamesBritanniaNgati ToaSeniorNgati ToaBritanniaSt JamesOpenSt JamesNgati ToaParaparaumu KAYAKING 1st2nd3rdJuniorNgati ToaSt JamesBritanniaIntermediateNgati ToaSt JamesBritanniaSeniorBritanniaNgati Toa IRON SCOUT 1st2nd3rdJuniorNgati ToaBritanniaSt JamesIntermediateBritanniaNgati ToaSt JamesSeniorBritanniaNgati ToaSt James / ParaparaumuOpenNgati ToaParaparaumuBritannia SEAMANSHIP 1st2nd3rdJuniorBritanniaNgati ToaSt JamesSeniorBritanniaNgati ToaSt JamesOverall results PointsGroup66Ngati Toa58St James52Britannia30Paraparaumu Beach0Bounty Rovers

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