When @silvernova offered me the chance to go on a 3 day bush survival camp, (as his partner couldn’t make it) I jumped at it with both feet! In the blink of an eye I had put together a pack, sleeping bag and food enough for one night (it was in the rules) only to learn it was still another 4 weeks away…..sigh….
FINALY, the day came and at 5am we set off for the long trip to the west coast of the North Island, just out of Auckland NZ. After a 3 hour road trip we came to the entrance of the site. It was a grey overcast day and looked like rain, but we were in great spirits. We waited for the others of the course to arrive and also, the instructor. Once we were all assembled (6 of us in total, but one was only doing 24 hrs) we were off, leaving the outside world to fend for itself.
This was definitely different bush to what I’m used to at home, I could actually see through the trees!
We arrived at a "Base camp" and there was only a big canopy, (for our group sessions) a tent for storing our packs and a bucket in the woods for "you know what".
That first day I learnt how to start a fire using feather sticks (mine were definitely anorexic and probably had mites cos there were very few feathers) and different grades of tinder. Having only ever used firelighters this was very useful. Then we had to light our fires using only a flint and a cotton wool ball...YAY mine was alight Whew! We learnt a lot that first day, it was pretty full on. Late afternoon, we made our own shelters from branches and ferns. We built our own fires beside us and were to spend the night on the ground in our sleeping bags in the shelters we had built. We had an awesome dinner cooked over the open fire. It was the first time I had eaten duck, it was YUM. By 11 o'clock we turned in, Silvernova and I had been on the go for the last 19 hours and it was bliss to lie down. Surprisingly I was very comfortable, but to my horror, I couldn't sleep. I dozed and only got about an hours sleep then I heard the first bird calls for dawn. My cue to re-light the fire and get a coffee on.
Day two: Full on again, learnt to skin a rabbit, make traps and snares, tie different knots, build a rescue beacon, and sampled some edible native plants. The forecast for the night was not good. Heavy rain was coming so at 1 pm the Instructor said it was time for us to go to our solo campsites. A look of horror passed between Silvernova and I when we discovered...no coffee to be taken !!! We were only going in with a knife, a small saw, a cup, a bottle, a flint and cotton wool balls, some para-cord, your own torch and a tarp that was not to be used as a shelter but to help cover the fire. No sleeping bag, no food, NO COFFEE !!!
So...here I was standing in the middle of the forest, mostly Kauri and Punga (Tree ferns), the ground was muddy and wet. I had a designated area of 50 meters one way and 100 meters the other. Whatever I found in that area was mine to use. Hmmmmm challenging. It wasn't raining yet so I got stuck in making my shelter, then collected enough wood for the fire to last the night. Then off to collect water and all the while looking for anything edible. I did chance upon an old wood pallet, so I took some of the boards off and used this to lay down on the ground of my shelter to help distance myself from the muddy ground and piled it with ferns. This would make a good-ish bed. I also set out "markers" so anyone rescuing me could find me. By now it was getting pretty dark, and our instructor did the rounds. He wanted to make sure we had our fires going and our shelters up (which I did) I showed him a couple of mushrooms I was sure I could eat but he said Nah...he wouldn't risk it..there goes dinner!! (I hadn't eaten breakfast and only a protein bar and some smoothie for lunch, this was going to bite me in the butt)
I had a really good fire going but again no sleep...I only had a t-shirt and wool jumper on and lightweight longs but I was toasty warm. I spent the night gazing into the fire and feeding it. About 2 am I sawed off more firewood and waited for dawn. A light drizzle began just as the first birds sung. Now it was a waiting game. I hauled in more wood and the fire was epic, I thought I would melt the tarp!! At around 1 o'clock in the afternoon, just as the rain was getting pretty heavy (I was still dry and warm) the instructor came, said I had been "rescued" and to return everything to nature, pack up and walk back to Base Camp. Yep...got utterly DRENCHED doing that, the clay mud on the track back, was up to my ankles and I think I was just about on my last legs.
Base camp at last, first .... COFFEE..Ahhh...bliss. The instructor whipped up a BBQ while we all compared notes on our 24 hours solo all the while enjoying a great feed. (By the time we got to the outskirts of Auckland, it was time for good old Macca's and a real coffee, never tasted so good.)
To say I learnt a lot would be an understatement. I got a lot right but here's what I got wrong, that could have got me into serious trouble. (it's always the small things)
First: If you wear glasses for anything, make sure to tie them round your neck!! On day one, I didn't notice I had dropped my glasses until I stood on them! On our solo night, I lost my back up pair ! Luckily I only need them for close up, but it did make things challenging.
Second: Lack of lunch and drink, drink, drink. I was drinking water but I underestimated how much physical work I was actually doing and did for hours on end. I definitely ended up dehydrated, not thirsty but properly dehydrated. This effects your ability to make decisions and do anything physical ...doing that last walk back to base camp, did me in.
Thirdly: Lack of sleep. 48 hours on the go, max 2 hours sleep, this dove tailed into the dehydration making for a possible bad situation if I had to go another day collecting wood and trying to find food.
But...I made it !!!
If you ever get the opportunity to do something like this...do it!
Huge thank you to Silvernova, it was truly a great adventure. (he's got his own story to tell).
And here we all are, having just got back from our solo night. (I'm at the front)
Sorry for the lack of photo's, I didn't take my camera in and my ph does not do nice shots, probably would have lost that too! These shots are courtesy of the SOS website.