Some Notes from the Third Bushcraft Weekend

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SOME NOTES FROM THE THIRD BUSHCRAFT WEEKEND The last bushcraft training weekend The team with one "heavy" member was a sort of mystery "find-your-ownand three lightweights, which way-from-point-to-poin" practical exersent one lightweight across in cise with many sealed envelopes of inthe cage at Totara Flats for structions. help because they were by no Some of the highlights of the weekmeans certain the lightweights end were: could winch the heavyweight The team which opened an enevolpe across. of instructions to find they had Four teams made Totara Flats for the to go to a point 1200 yards night and three of these camped as inaway on a bearing 210° and structed. The other team had insurmountpromptly had a long and in- able reservations about pitching a tent volved discussion on the in the dark. In view of the circumstances theorem of Pythagoras. prevailing the remaining two teams both The sheepish looks of two teams, some made wise decisions in not trying to of whom were still in their force their way on to Totara Flats for the night. sleeping bags having breakfast On Sunday, three teams travelled crosswhen the chief instructor/ country from the Totara Creek to course director called in at Bannister Hut and one of these area Mountain House close on mid- to find some interesting waterfalls managed which day on Saturday. they told everybody about. - The oft-repeated question thrown at The winning team-which won largely instructors when battered, on its camping standards on Saturday bleeding and bewildered teams night was, in alphabetical order: met them-"Have you been Richard Fogel where we were sent?" Wayne Hobson The almost unbelievably accurate navi- Lyall Mason gation which took one team up Bill MacLeman Gentle Annie Creek to the Congratulations to this team and Mountain House track right on thanks to all who participated. the specified point, the Carring- Nick Jennings. ton sign post. Our thanks to you, too, chief instruc- The decision of one team to "pace off tor/course director for the work and 1400 yards" up a creek. organisation you put into the three bush- The comparison of "old-hands" in craft weekends. We should now have their sleeping bags under a tent some expert trampers in the hills, and, watching a primus cook their we hope-considerate trampers-after stew and the "newer" members reading the presidential note on page 2 happily enjoying a good fire. of this journal. *