Camp

Camp Motutapu 2010 - by Sonna


On the 3rd of May, I walked into the ferry trembling with excitement about going to camp. As we got of the ferry, we started the 6.5 km walk! It was so exhausting, I can´t explain how I felt. That was the only thing, I didn´t like about camp. As soon as we arrived at the entrance sign, a sudden tingling feeling bubbled through my body.

Our first activity was sailing. We were speed sailing when suddenly AHH! we capsized. We continued speed sailing when water started lapping into our sailing boat. The boat was filling with water and within seconds it was like we were sitting in a swimming pool.The boat was getting heavy and we were sinking! Luckily JR (instructor) saved us and took us back to shore in his rescue boat. Our next activity was raft building. We built the raft out bamboo, rope and big black bottles to help us float. We took it down to the beach to test it out. We were in the water when our raft started falling apart! The raft was shaking side to side and everyone was falling off. I was sitting in the middle clinging to the bamboo. SUDDENLY, the raft tipped over and under the water I went. It was time for night time activities. Our night time activity was hall games. We played a game called clothes basket. Matt would yell out items of clothing and we had to bring them to him before the others. It was a tiring day especially from the walk and I was really sleepy.

The next day, I woke up finding out that we had rock climbing. I headed to the rock wall with my group. I buckled my harness, strapped my helmet and was ready to go. I got about halfway on the slab when my muscles were aching and I couldn´t go on any further. I pushed myself to the limit and managed to reach the top of the wall and slap the hi-5. I tried the vertical 1 but only got halfway. Next we had the confidence course. They set up all these activities for us to work as a team. We had this activity were we had to get to the top of the hill. We cant touch the he ground but we could use thse three large discs. Our team got up to the top of the hill and at the end we slid down the discs on the hill. I quickly went back to my dorm to get changed in to my wetsuit for kayaking. We went deep into the water and played a game called water soccer. We played blue kayaks vs. yellow kayaks. There is a tiny soccer all and we had to pass it to five people in our team without the other team getting it and hitting it on Calib´s (instructor) kayak. My arms were exhausted from all the paddling. To end the day we had high ropes. On the cargo net it was me vs. Karen. The istructor was saying Musle vs. Height. Who will win. Up I went, my muscle aching but I kept going on. It was like I was training for the army. Muscle wins! I win! next I did the beam. It was scary. I don´t know why it is scary because I am not afraid of heights. It´s just that you think you might fall even though your attached to the rope. For the night we played spotlight. Crystal and I were hiding in the trees when we say someone coming. He shined his torch all around us. He was about to go when he quickly just shined the torch at us. ¨Well hello there, Sonna¨, said Mr Lawrence. Mr Lawrence was my camp group adult last year. ¨Nice camoflage¨he said as I was wearing all black. I went back to the dorm and had a good nights sleep.

Our first activity for day three was the gunwalk. You see the camp used to be a military camp. We went to the camp museum and watched a video on the history of Motutapu. Then we went on a walk up a very steep hill to see the war tunnels. Inside the tunnels it was pitch black. Mr Glogoski saw a whitetail spider! Next we had archery. Now it doesn´t look as easy as you think. The string is very strong so it is hard to pull back the arrow. Also the bow is really heavy and I keep shaking it and I don´t aim properly. Troll (instructor) shot a bullseye! Next we had survivor challenge. I heard that it was the best activity. I did not want to get too muddy but i had no choice when I got to the tyres. The tyres were to far away from each other and I could not reach and when Mr Glogoski got on it went BOING! I just jumped of the tyres and into the mud! When we were going through the tyre tunnel. Mr Glogoski shouted out ¨Girls, DONT LOOK!¨. I didn´t know what was going on. Dion hopped off and soon I saw. Jason´s pants had fallen off! Eww! Well anyways next we had orienteering. They gave us clues and we had to find markers with symbols on them and translate them into a sentence. One clue said ¨ Go to the sign that says ¨Don´t drink water and No Swimming. Why do people always end up here? The marker is hidden at the top of the reason¨. I thought about it for a while. Why do people end up in the pond? From the flying fox! We ran up the hill and found the marker. We came 2nd. The sentence was YOUR FINISHED. Our night activity was the burmatrail. We walk in to the trees at dark and follow a rope. Parents and teachers scare you in ghost masks. They blow whistles and squirt mustard and water at us. It was awesome. I loved it!


Day 4 is eletives day.My first elective was high ropes. We did the flying kiwi. The flying kiwi is like a swing. You are on a rope swinging in the air. It was amazing. I could see the whole camp. Although I felt a bit sick from all that swinging. My second elective was kayaking. We played a game called evolution. First we all start off as eggs. Then we play paper scissor rock with another egg. If you win you become a fish. Then you play against a fish and so on. First you go from egg to fish to penguin to shark to orca to human and the to champion. To become the actual champion you have to stand up in your kayak and say I am the champion without capsizing! I nearly capsized near the rocks but luckily Mr Paki pulled me out. The waves were huge. My third elective was beach bum. Crystal, Connor, me and another boy made a sand turtle. It looked brilliant. For the night we had the camp concert. The parents acts were so funny. Mr Glogoski did a ventriliqusim act and the puppet was Mr Peat in a mask. It was so funny.

Today is day 5. It is a sad day because we are leaving. There are no activities today. Unless you count cleaning as activity. The day was going out okay until I found out that we were cleaning toilets! Now we would start the 6.5 km walk back to Rangitoto and on the ferry. The walk didn´t seem so long this time. The week went past so fast. Time sure flies when you are enjoying yourself. Anyways, I liked camp this year. What am I saying! I liked camp this year? I loved camp this year!!!