Lobster creels, survival skills and ‘search to survive’
We have had a busy few days at the Adventure School. Sunday started with the usual run or swim option before breakfast. The teams then split with half boarding our workboats, Argo and Victoria, to go and lift lobster creels and see John Ridgway’s 1966 Atlantic rowing boat at Ardmore. Our creel catch has been a bit thin on the ground so far this summer but the first teams lifted a large female lobster, a perfect specimen. There were plenty of crabs too. Velvet swimming crabs, shore crabs and some brown crabs as well. Meanwhile the other half of the group were learning to build shelters for survival island and how to use the bivvy bags that they will sleep in on the island.
The teams swapped around at lunchtime as the rain began to drift in. The afternoon was pretty soggy but the rain. didn’t dampen any spirits. It is a really positive experience to learn that when dressed appropriately the children can still function. It requires a little more commitment and self reliance and that is no bad thing.
Monday
Today has been a better weather day. Our usual runs and swims before breakfast started the day. After breakfast, the teams headed out on ‘search to survive’, our wilderness orienteering course. This is the first opportunity for the young people to work together in small squads of three or four without the direct oversight of an instructor or teacher and they revel in the responsibility. Often more responsibility than they were expecting. The squads navigate across wild terrain to locate posts that carry clues to unlock an old ammo crate containing their teams striking flint for survival island.
In the afternoon they looked at the fire and food elements of the survival skills that will be needed on the island. Learning to light fires with a striking flint, forage for winkles and limpets, and cook a simple bread dough over the fire.
Tomorrow the teams will be climbing Ben Stack. A big day! The team are all well and in good spirits. More news to follow and photos posted to Instagram in due course.
