Guest Blogger: Les: MERC 2009

Kieran is refusing to write me a camp blog at this time (other 'priorities') so Les has kindly offered to do it for me...

Woohoo, another school camp notice comes home. This time its Kierans year 7 camp at Sir Peter Blake MERC (Marine Eductaion and Recreation Centre) at Long Bay. Had heaps of fun at last years camp with him so up goes the hand again to come along and help keep the kids in line and have some fun along the way.

Kieran having a milo under the shelter they built

We arrived at MERC bright and early on Tuesday morning, the kids ran riot trying to all get the top bunk while we met the instructors and found out the plan for the week. We were divided into 6 groups with a parent assigned to each. We really didnt have that much to do as the instructors were great and had excellent ways of keeping the kids attention and filling in the dull bits with a bit of humour and some quick games.


The weather was awesome for the week and we got through all our activities. We got to do slingshots, orienteering, outdoor survival, sailing, bodyboarding, kayaking, abseiling, rock climbing and archery. MERC has great gear and the kids all had wetsuits etc when needed to keep out the chilly water.

Body boarding fun

In the evenings the teachers organised games in the hall and the kids had diarys to fill in about each day. The usual first night madness set in with them being awake until around 11.45pm (lights out was 10pm) and awake again at 5am, not impressed. The riot act was read by various parents and then before morning fitness by the teacher and the next night was much better, mostly due to a lot of tired kids (and grown ups) by 10pm.

Archery time, Dad got 2 balloons.

This camp also saw the return of "MurderBall". Basically a big game of scrag combined with bullrush and a rugby ball and almost anything goes. The object is to get your hands on the ball and keep posession of it for 15 seconds, not an easy thing when 30+ kids and 5 adults are chasing and tackling you. I'm pretty sure the teachers don't like it, you should their faces when you explain the game, they are worried about someone getting hurt but it works quite well and burns off a lot of the kids energy and aggression.

Night time games. Pete is being the 'bone' the kids have to drag back to their side.

Friday afternoon saw the reverse procession of the clean up and return to base after a multi sport event where almost all of the weeks activities were revisited in some way in a teams challenge. The parents/teachers put in a team as well but I think we were DQ'd after the first event (kayak dig) after we 'found' a shovel buried under our kayak, who would have though we'd cheat like that.....

Kieran about to abseil down the wall of death

In all a great time if a little lacking in sleep for some, I can recommend school camps with your kids and I'm pretty sure Gypsy has already baggsed (is that even a word) going on Merenias ones in a couple of years.

Kieran getting tipped out returning from kayaking. Even the instructors got tipped out.

Will visited and helped out the handyman with a bit of paving repairs. Maybe he'll be a brickie when he grows up?

The view out my window...

Made it!!!

Assembling the slingshots took a bit of team work.