Messing around on the water (with the Skautai)
Location: Hay-on Wye
The aim was to arrive at the canoeing at 08.30hrs to get our boats and equipment.
We all arrived later then 08.30hrs as we all got lost.
The fact is that as good skaut/es we embraced the challenge of reading the map however some resorted in technology and trusted a sat’ nav’ to get them to the location (Hay on Wye). It just shows that map reading gets you to where your going in the fastest time possible, but for those who used the sat nav were an hour late, its back to maps for them!!
Luckily, we were all still on time to get changed and into our buoyancy aids and grabbed our paddles. Lunch had already been prepared by Sese’s Dovile and Silvija with help from big Monika the night before. So the lunches were handed out to each scout.
Vladas and Skot were teaching the group about how to paddle and sit in a canoe correctly and also about what to do if you go over. We decided that each of the six canoes should have at least one senior skaut and one younger skaut in it to provide the relevant muscle to brain power (the muscle coming from the larger skauts!).
Then off on the water, the group went.
Skot got into his boat first with master navigator and rescue co-ordinator Lukas at the helm, they were on the water first just in-case any of the group decided to float off down the river un-supervised, imagine a mother duck with her babies on the water for the first time.
They were followed by, Little Monika, Gareth, Ramune, Silvija, Vytas, Dovile, Jieva, Mantas and the last canoe to go off was Vlada and Vladas.
After a few moments the entire group were in their boats (albeit a little wobbly) being waved off by Monika (big), Laima and Atlanta.
The adventure!
After a while the Skautai started to get the feel of the canoes, boats were starting to go straight…ish, maybe it was the river we would like to think it was the fantastic abilities of the crews making their boats go straight as an arrow, however going straight is not all that useful when we get to the first bend! Thankfully everybody got around the corner together and were heading to the left hand bank…and then disaster (or was that de-laughter?) all I heard was Jeez splash, yes the Vlada/ Vladas canoe was the wrong way up!
So Skot went off to the rescue with Lukas at the helm, paddle on the left Lukas… NO the other left!! After a fantastic group effort we fished Vlada out of the river and caught their boat. Luckily the sun was starting to break through the clouds so the slightly damper members of the party did not get too cold.
Not wanting to name names I shall keep the individuals anonymous.
On questioning about what happened, I understand from one member of the crew that the other stood up to try and grab a twig making the boat rather un-steady and tip over, the other member of the crew said she didn’t do it on purpose!!
The day was really getting quite warm now with the sun beating down on us and the gentle noises of the river relaxing all us city folk so we decided to stop for a break on a lovely grassy bank. Lukas kept our boat in a perfect position to observe the party getting ashore, last boat before Skot & Lukas is Dovile and Gareth. Dovile is out safely and so Vytas being a great skaut decides that he will assist Gareth in getting ashore, he grabs the rope at the front of the canoe and pulls the front of the boat onto the bank (this is the right idea if the bank is more of a flat shore and not a step up from the canoe) boat tips over and number three in the drink!
After a pleasant 15-20 minutes rest we decide that its time to press on rescue man Lukas needs to be in the water first so he gets in the boat and takes his seat at the front and Skot starts to gently push the canoe into the water, however Lukas decides that he wants see what’s over the edge of the canoe and you have guessed it, number four in the river.
After another peaceful hour or so paddling we find a lovely stony beach to have our lunch, what a fantastic part of the world this is, I would highly recommend the trip. It is truly beautiful.
We laze away another 45 minutes or so talking about the events of the morning and who is still dry and who is not. We decide that we should look at the map to see how far away from the landing point we are only to discover that the map was in the first boat to go over! So we decide that instead of taking it too easy we should press on (not too hard) and find our landing point rather than being on the river too late. This turns out to be the right decision not because of the distance (we had already covered most of it) but because of the weather. One moment it was nice and sunny and the next (literally as we got out of the canoes) the rain started to lash down and the wind blew.
Once we got to the Camping place The Pound Camp site, we were greeted by Monika, Laima and Atlanta.
Because the rain had also caught up with them, they had managed to get one tent up and half a gazebo. All the group went and got changed. The leaders then went to pick up their cars and Vladas’ van so we could get started on preparing the camp site. We used the gazebo and the doors of the van with some tarpaulin to make extra room, as we needed shelter.
We got the BBQ on and started cooking, burgers, sauges and jacket potatoes all round.
Once we had all finished eating we all mucked in and tidied up our camp area. Leaders had a meeting and gave the group sometime to relax. It was decided by the leaders to have a relaxed flag (shirts, ties and warm trousers). Vladas had stated he wished to have a small informal award ceremony for the boys.
He read our Isakimai and announced the awards (please speak to Vladas for more info).
Then we had a lauzas which was led by Kand. Ramune & Mantas. To everyones enjoyment!
We all then went into the warm and played cards with some of the group. Learnt a Lithuanian card game and Skot taught Little Monika and Vlada how to play cheat, which thankfully I’m happy to say they both didn’t get the game as they could not cheat.
We all went to bed, to awake to a lovely sunny morning, with no gazebo as it had blown away in the night.
Ramune and Vlada cooked breakfast, which was eaten by all.
We had a quick debrief of the weekend and asked the Kanditates to think about planning their own weekend involving the younger scouts. (which we all look forward in attending in March).
Then we all packed up and left in convoy towards home.
I would like to say Thank you to all those who attended the weekend and to all the leaders who helped plan and execute a fantastic weekend. Bravo brolai ir Seses.
A special thanks to Skot, for helping me with this write up as I was not on the water canoeing. Acui Broli
Sese v.s Monika Raisyte & Brolai p.s vs Skot Mineikis
P.S we have no photo’s from this weekend as Vladas was the photographer and as we read he lost a fair amount of items from the canoe capsizing!
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