Boyle River: Our Year 10 Boyle River Camps proved to be a hit with the boys, as they were challenged to step outside of their comfort zones and come together as a group.

Each camp split their time between some incredible activities – white water tubing, abseiling, high and low ropes courses, a blind-fold forest excursion, navigating dense bush, and a night of camping. Camping in the rain gave all of the boys an extra challenge, but it was wonderful to see them all embrace the outdoors experience.

We were blessed to have instructors and guides that really supported the boys in pushing themselves to new limits. A big thanks to all the staff for helping out on camp, and for each of our boys who made it an incredible experience for all!

Mr Struthers

Queen Charlotte Camp: 19 students and three staff headed away to Picton in the early hours of Monday morning. After a brief lunch stop in Blenheim we caught the ferry from Picton and got to see a pod of dusky dolphins on the trip. Around 3pm we arrived at our first stop, the James Cook Monument in Ship Cove. James Cook landed here five different times during his expeditions to Aotearoa, New Zealand. From here we set off on our journey to our first camp site, Schoolhouse bay, where we made dinner and settled in for the night. Bright and early on Tuesday we dropped off our packs and began on our 23km journey to Camp Bay. Despite the sore bodies and some unwelcome furry and feathered friends in the night, the boys were ready to go by 9am on Wednesday. This was the toughest day, another huge walk (24.5km) but this time with 300m of elevation added in. It was a lovely sight to see the end of the track on Wednesday afternoon, especially when Mr Rawson managed to commandeer a van to help to transport all the packs over the hill to Cowshed Bay!

The boys legs got a well-deserved break on Thursday when Aaron, Jake, Joe and Molly took us for a day kayaking. The boys worked well in their pairs and were treated to seeing some incredible New Zealand Eagle Rays up close. After helping to load up the kayaks at the end of the day, the first sign of rain on the trip arrived. Luckily we were at Mistletoe Bay, with plenty of shelter. The boys took it all in their stride and rested well for the final walk out to Anakiwa and the drive home on Friday. Whilst we were incredibly lucky with the weather, we were also blessed with an awesome group of boys who really worked together to make this a great trip for everyone. Finally, thank you to Mr Rawson and Mr Hardinge for coming along and all their help with everything. 

Ms Warburton

The Lake Guyon Camp went off with a bang. A range of weather and fishing conditions added to the challenge of a 16km tramp, sleeping in a tent, and the boys cooking their own food! Thanks to Dr McKenzie and Nicky Taylor for helping on camp.