This event has been going for quite a few years and the format has changed in that time. This years Akela's Challenge was to continue from last year. A test of Camping Skills that would stretch the Cubs that took part.
Chelwood was selected, again, for the campsite as it is convenient to most of the Packs in the district. This year there was a good turnout including the 133rd Pack for the first time.
As this camp was going to involve a large number of people a lot of planning went into making it happen. Akela(148 Friday) volunteered to do the catering and run a base. Other Pack Leaders organised their own bases and camping arrangements for tents etc.
We entered two teams our girls had won the competition part of the weekend for the last two years but as the young ladies had moved onto Scouts we were not expecting to repeat the win this year. We were represented by; Charlie, Emma, Shannon, Jess, Breiz, Sophie, Deanna, Megan, Tom, Joe, James and Conner, We were assisted by some willing parents. Dave, Neil, Juliet and Claire.
Friday 15th
The Leaders arranged to meet at Chelwood on the Friday night to prepare the campsite and indulge in a little getting to know you session. This has been really popular in previous years and we saw no reason to change it. The 148th Crew turned up and made for the top of the slope, to our normal camping area, away from some cadet type people. Two mess tents and two sleeping type tents were put up and Dave's Barbeque was fired up. There was no sign of the other Leaders and we could not contact anyone by phone. It was only when Hathi went to the toilet block that it became clear that what had happened. The other Leaders had arrived early chosen to camp at the bottom of the slope then been masked by the Cadets tentage so that hey were not visible from the entrance. They had been wondering where we had got to as they were now hungry and thirsty. So we at last met up and savoured some beef burgers and sausages. A fire was started by Neil assisted by a couple of young Leaders from the 5th who had turned up and pitched their tents close to the mess tents. As the day turned into night the air got chillier and the Leaders dragged themselves nearer to the fire. A small amount of drink was consumed before everybody retired to their beds to get ready for . . .
Saturday 16th
The day started early (03:30) as Akela's mobile picked finally delivered a text that had been sent four hours earlier! Breakfast was a relaxed affair as the Cubs were not due to arrive until 09:15. Dave and Akela(148 Friday) did the honours and bacon, eggs, burgers and sausages in a sandwich was the perfect start to the day. The bases were set up ready for the influx of young people.
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Cubs started to arrive at about 09:00 and after being welcomed by Simon, our Almost-Ex-ADC(Cubs), a few rules were explained about the camp. As the weather was so hot the Cubs were told that if they got thirsty at any time they could come to the mess-tent for a drink. Their first task was to get the tents out of the store tent and put up. The Leaders watched with their hands in their pockets until they could not help it but had to help the Cubs. Firstly by calm advise, changing to more strident commands as the Cubs dithered about, what a waste of time practicing. Once the tents were up the Cubs put their kit away got changed and were ready for a cake and drink break.
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Bases that they could work through included Glass engraving, fire lighting, scoubi-doos(?), stream damming, backwoods cooking, branding, plaster-of-paris mould making and others that were not seen by the author. The activities were interrupted for Lunch, and continued for the rest of the afternoon with a little time left over to do with as they wished before tea; sausages pasta-plain and pasta with beans and cheese or super noodles. Girt lush as they say in Bristol.
With a little time to kill until the campfire sing-along Akela(148 Friday) got out some 'camo' paint and with the help of Akela(148 Tuesday) made all the Cubs disappear. They all went off to play hind and Seek while the Leaders counted to a hundred, very, very slowly.
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By the time the Cubs realised that the Leaders were not coming to look it was time to gather around the camp fire for a good sing-song. John, Derrick and Akela(148 Tuesday) got things going and the Cubs were entertained by some skits and some songs old and even older. The Cubs seemed to enjoy this and when the two young leaders(5th) were involved in a tray top version of blow football they were very happy.
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A supper of Burgers and sausages with camp style hot chocolate was next before the Cubs were sent to their tents to start the sleeping process. As an indicator of what the Cubs had been up to we had a Cub that should remain nameless (you know who you are Sophie) asked to go to bed at 19:00. Our two teams settled down quickly, the boys went out like lights and the girls had a little natter before succumbing to sleep. However the 148Tuesdy girls were a pain - giggling talking, going to the toilet in sets of three before settling down about 01:00. The few remaining Leaders who had stayed up were grateful to get to bed as it had been a long hot day.
Sunday 17th
Only a few hours before the little darlings go home! Breakfast was much the same as Saturday only a lot more so with about a hundred people to feed Dave was a star. Burgers, sausages, bacon, eggy-bread, beans and black pudding. Some of which was more appreciated by the Cubs that others, for some reason the Leaders had nearly all the black pudding to themselves.
As the day had dawned sunny and the forecast was for another gloriously hot day we decided to have some water games. A long slide was prepared and some catching of water filled bags were started. A water fight broke out which meant that plans were discarded and the slide started early. A few safety rules were explained, warnings of extreme pain if the rules were not followed were given and the fun started. Despite the warnings some of the Cubs were unaware of the difference of tummies and bums. One Cub who will remain nameless (only because I don't know his name) learnt after his third time of banging his head against the floor that it was much safer to do it the way that the Leaders had told him.
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Only four people managed to slide the complete length of the slide, Derrick, Neil and one of our Cubs, Tom. Well done Tom. The fourth person to manage this daring feat was Akela(148 Friday) who had his first and possibly last attempt. He started well getting a good turn of speed before launching himself onto the slide. He successfully managed to go off the end of the slide before returning to the start complaining of being 'winded' by the landing. Other notable sliders were the Leader of the 133rd and Claire who had some assistance from Mike and Neil and Neil and Akela(148 Friday) respectively. Akela(148 Tuesday) also had a go but the other Leaders were a bit wimpy.
Next Simon played a game of water dice; The Cubs gathered in six groups, each corresponding to a number on the dice. When the dice stopped rolling the top number was called out and the group with that number had a bucket of water thrown over them. The Cubs then had to move to a new number before the dice was thrown again. This was very popular with some of the Cubs getting the number right quite a few times.
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The Slide was abandoned for Lunch which was iffits and very nice they were to. This reduced the mountain of food left over to a much more acceptable level. After Lunch the Cubs were required to help pack everything onto the transport, their tents, the mess and stores tents and their contents. The camp fire was extinguished the site tidied up and left ready for the next group.
The transport was unloaded at the Scutt, the Cubs given their certificates and sent home. A Special Certificates was awarded to Amy for surviving the camp. A special certificate and 'virgin camper inscribed tent peg' for Claire, to Neil and Juliet for helping run the camp and to Dave who was a star and made sure that everybody had enough to eat.
Thanks to the people mentioned in the above text plus all the others that came along and helped. To Joy and Cyril to all the Leaders of the various pack and to the parents that helped unload the truck at the Scutt.
The weather was exactly as expected, our sungod did us proud again. The 'winding' he suffered on the Slide turned out to be two cracked ribs so please don't make him laugh too much.