Annual Camp 2015 - Day 1

The day had arrived at last. We had been planing for this camp for the past 5 months or so. We met at the train station in Balbriggan @ 10:30am. The tickets had been bought and the van had been packed up the night before with all of the gear needed for the week long camp. In order to save space on the train, the scouts also put their rucksacks in the van, which was being driven by Bernard Mahon who is the dad of one of our scouts, Sofie.

All of the goodbyes were said and the scout and leaders (except Brendan who was driving) headed for the train. The journey was fairly uneventful, with only one knife needing to be confiscated. Spirits were high and the craic was great.

The bus arrived at the train station in Boyle to bering us to the campsite Bang on time. By the time it arrived, all of the gear had been unloaded from the van by Brendan and Sofie’s parents Bernard and Jen. The scouts had a quick chance to explore the area while the leaders got busy setting up their site and marking out boundaries for the two patrols (Raven & Cobra). When the boundaries were up, the scouts picked out their tents, and started to pitch them. When they were done, it was time to start getting the fires built. They were needed because we were having Spag Bol for dinner. How could we not have such a favourite on our first night of Summer Camp??? Some scouts built the fires while others gathered wood for fuel. The leaders were busy sorting out the Mess Tent. Thanks to Donnabate Scout Group for the loan of it.

Before Dinner was started, we had our official opening ceremony and raised our group and national flags on the flag poles .

When dinner was nearly ready we moved some picnic benches from outside the toilet block to just between the two patrol sites so that the scouts didn’t have to build tables as well on the first day. Dinner was delicious. All meals are delicious when have worked up a hunger from setting up a site for the afternoon.

While the wash-ups were being done, Brendan and Fiona headed off to do some shopping in Tesco in Carrick on Shannon.

By the time they got back it had started to rain a bit. Luckily all of the tents were up and all of the gear was packed away. At about 11, we headed out for a walk to Lough key. The scouts still had plenty of energy so a walk was hoped to wear them out a bit. Some of the scouts were already tired after a long day travelling and working to get their sites built so the walk to Lough Key finished them off. Some of the others were not quite as tired but it was nearly midnight by the time we got back and it was time for lights out. Since it was raining, there wasn’t too much complaining. That is until 1:30 when Aoife and Ciara arrived up to the leaders site to let us know that their tent was leaking. Ciaran and Brendan got up out of their warm beds to help the girls relocate to the big tent where the Raven Patrol girls were sleeping. It was straight back to bed then. Zzzzzzzzzzz…………