MOA

Hi everyone,

As I have almost recovered from the camp I have just attended I thought that
some of you out there might be interested in what we got up to. Sorry it is
such a long message :)

MOA - Marlborough Outstanding Adventure.

This was a national Ranger and Junior Leader (JL) Event. These are held once
every 4 years here in NZ and alternate with the Guide Jamborees which are also
held every 4 years. MOA was based in Blenheim, at the top of the South Island
of NZ.

There were about 700 girls aged between 13.5 and 19 on site, along with 200
leaders. It was a ten day event, but 5 days of that was spent off site. The
first night (Friday) was the opening and a campfire. This featured the MOA
mascot, Mitch the Moa, and two Pippins (our youngest branch in NZ Guiding -
age 6) being hatched out of a Moa egg to represent the future Rangers of NZ.
It also included the colour party, and the raising of the international flags.
There were Ranger aged girls (plus leaders) at MOA from England, Australia,
Canada, Malaysia, Western Samoa, Korea, and the USA. It was really great
having that international aspect to it all. (We were lucky enough to have one
of the Australians in our expedition).

Then the next 2 days (Sat & Sun) were spent by the girls on 2 half day and 1
full day activities. These ranged from grooming, gold panning and sightseeing
through to raft building, abseiling, kayaking, whale watching, swimming with
dolphins (in the sea - not in a human environment). Sunday there was also a
Guides Own. It was a pretty special one, with meditation and very interesting
thoughts included. There were also various services in the morning for those
who wished to attend, and these were apparently well thought out also.

Then the real part of MOA began. From early Monday morning girls began
streaming off site to go on their 5 day expeditions. I was a leader, (First
Aid & Health), on Survival, but there was again a wide choice of activities
for the girls to choose from. (They had chosen about 6 months previously
when they sent in their applications).

The 5 day expeditions available were:-
mystery adventure - outdoor adventure - aviation - Canadian canoeing - caving
- city experience - coast to coast (triathalon) - conservation - gourmet
cookery - craft - cycling - farming - commercial fishing - trout fishing -
heritage - horse trekking - river kayaking - sea kayaking - make the most of
yourself - media - motoring skills - multi- sports - multi-waterbase -
photography - white water rafting - raft 'n' tramp - sailing - science - scuba
diving - survival - theatre - tramping - day tramping

(We had a slight problem with many of the rivers being very high - we had
extensive flooding further south so I guess on the whole we were lucky. Some
of the expeditions had to change where they went due to the flooding.)

Survival was a lot of fun. The group of 16 girls, 4 leaders, and 4 outside
instructors from Mountain Safety were all wonderful. It ended up as mostly a
tramping expedition, which I as an experienced tramper was a bit disappointed
about, but I still would not have missed it for the world, as the friendships
made, and new songs learned made it all worthwhile. The highlights were
camping on top of the Mount Richmond range of mountains with our tent on an
angle of 45deg, river crossing in the white snowmelt water of a South Island
braided river, using Mountain Radio to check in with Wellington every night,
and above all the amazing closeness of the group of girls, most of whom had
never met before at the end of camp. We had 6 injuries, only one of which was
serious, (concussion).

We returned 'home' to Blenheim on Friday night. Luxury! Flat campsite, hot
showers, meals cooked by a wonderful QM team, (And yay!!! - no dehydrated food
:) ). There was a karaoke evening for the girls that evening, which was quite
hilarious. Saturday was open day. We had a lot of on-site activities, and
food stalls. Most of the people who came seemed to be locals from
Marlborough, probably curious to see just what it was we did that caused the
blarring voices over the loudspeakers at all times of the day and night. (I
gather there were a few complaints).

Saturday afternoon from 3-5 was when we all went and took part in some
community service. These projects included roadside rubbish collection,
walkway clearing, weed grubbing, and fence painting among other things.

Saturday night was the closing ceremony, which included presentations from
each expedition (1 minute on each).

On site there was a Futures Tent with info about contraception, job skills,
where to go for help, depression, eating disorders, other opportunities in the
Guide Assn, etc. There was also a craft tent which was always crowded with
people trying different things, and an International tent with information
about Guiding / Girl Scouting world wide, and special displays by our
international guests.

There were lots of other things happening that I have missed out, (the girls
had a curfew of Midnight, and activities they could choose to do every
evening).

It was a great camp, the committee that organised it, the girls and leaders
that participated, and the wonderfully patient locals all made it a truly
memorable camp.

(A moa is also a native flightless, (and now extinct), bird here in NZ. They
varied in size from the size of a large hen to over 7 feet in height and looked
sort of like an ostrich).
--Anne
Riddick_A@Kosmos.wcc.govt.nz

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