Camp fire effects

Different coloured flames
Encouraged to be written by Clear Vision Enterprises Contact info: cve4me.com cve4me@gmail.com @twitter/cve4mejournal Facebook : cve4me

Knots and lashings to learn and practice.

• Bowline                                                             Bowline on the blight
• Double overhand                                              Double Sheet bend
• Figure of eight
• Fisherman's Bend
• Flat Knot
• Granny Knot

         
• Half Knot                                                                                    Source: www.facebook.com via Susan on LoveIt
• Monkey fist
• Overhand knot
• Reef knot
• Rolling Hitch
• Round Turn and 2 half hitches.
• Sheep Shank [Fast]
• Sheep Shank [traditional]
• Sheetbend
• Square knot
• Stevedore knot
• Stopper knot
• Surgeons knot
• Two half hitches
• Thief knot
• Turkish knot

1. Snake Lashing
2. Square lashing

1. Common whipping
2. Sail maker's whipping

Encouraged to be written by Clear Vision Enterprises Contact info: cve4me.com cve4me@gmail.com @twitter/cve4mejournal Facebook : cve4me

'In the Groove' State camp

Groove 100 a camp for Guides [10 to 17 years old] during 2011.  Cost per Guide $450.00. 

Get your Guiding Groove on. It's Party time!

Outdoor Camp for guides aged 10 to 17 years. A range of half day adventurous activites including: high rope course, canoeing, water skiing, mountain biking, Go karting and kites.

6 day event running between 25th September 11 and 1st October 11

Location: Britannia Park, Britannia Creek Road, Yarra Junction VIC

Closing date for registration: 31/07/2011

Try again with the shrubs for a fence line

.Where did the shrubs I planted go again?.

I knew the grass was getting long.  I was to mow around the shrubs that I had planted on Thursday.  That is as soon as I had time off work and could also get the lawn mower and clippers down to the Hazelwood South Hall.

however I turned up on Wednesday last week to begin raking under the shrubs next to the gun clubs fence line and noticed that the shrubs and grass had all been mowed down.  There were no sticks, plants or anything except mowed grass.  The Calistamon that was so beautifully flowering was gone as well.

The next night at a Gipp's Guide meeting a discussion took place.  I asked for help in lining a next shrub bed with bricks carried over from the "brickery'  I had noted that the earth area that some party goers had lit a fire in was not mowed over.  Instead this eyesore was carefully mowed around.  The Brickery was left too.  Logically If there are bricks the lawn mower man will not tamper with them.  However if there is obviously long grass in one area strip then by all means mow it over.  There could be something of value there! This time I intend to really well bang in the wooden poles deep into the ground.  Lace the area with read and white warning tape [means do not enter this area].  The new shrubs will have already been planted to make use of this rainy period that we seem to be experiencing.

So in two Thursday's time there will be bricks in place and hopefully time to rake up the leaves from the other shrubs and mulch the new shrub area as well.

Creating a campfire dash

The following chemicals used sparingly are able to create a really great 'WoW' effect.  But remember campfires are unforgettable for other reasons too.  Just a little of the chemicals goes a really long way. 

It is better to halve the amount you think you need.. at least twice. Just so that you are more controlled with what you are doing and the audience that has little ones does not become so scared that campfires are a means of fear and mental torture in the future.

1. Strontium chloride produces bright red flames
2. Magnesium sulphate (Epson Salts) gives white flames
3. Calcium chloride for blue flames.
4. Copper sulphate (blue vitrol) has a green flame
5. Thallium (Alum- used in pickle making) has a bright green flame
6. Baron salts (borax -20 mule team borax in the laundry aisle) has a yellowish-green flame
7. Potassium sulphate mixed 3 to 1 with potassium nitrate will show off a violet flame
8. Boric Acid for deep red flames

• Mix the dryed red, white and blue pine scales and have a patriotic fire!

Most of these chemicals are available in the grocery store or pharmacy. Strontium chloride is used in aquariums so check your pet store for this one.

Parts on a tent names

Although this diagram is of a canvas tent many names are the same. 
We have found that when the Guides are use to using the names the instructions are easier to give - both for the leaders and the Guides to one another.  Not everyone can understand sweeping hand gestures accompanied with put this end in that thingy, no not that one... over there.

With minimum names learned there is maximum confusion and frayed tempers flare easily.

Job descriptions

On any given type of camp there are job description Guides Lines.  Variations occur when the participants age, experience and type of camp.  Add to this the objectives behind having the overnight stay / camp in the first place.

The Patol Roster

Overnight stays last for twenty four hours... no longer. On this overnight stay there were to be two Patrols. On this occasion the roster aligned with the main meals.  The Patrols swapped jobs after each main meal. 

When organising the Duty Roster two things were taken into consideration.

• there was a wide age range [7 to 14 year olds].
• Some had had several overnight stays - others had had none.

There were three main job categories.

• Occupational Health and Safety.
• Hostess
• Cook

Should one patrol finish their duties they had to go and help another patrol finish their duties as well  This carried on until all the duties were accomplished.  Then the next activity would begin.

Know who is expected

On this inside overnight stay the following were attending.  The list was displayed where everyone could see it.

In this list the participates were listed according to age.

Display a menu

Illiminating weight.

Carrying extra weight than necessary is not a good idea.
So here are some hints on what to do.

•  Using a large chux cloth 
•  cut into half
•  then one half cut into a 1/3 and 2/3]
• One for a towel, a washer and a tea towel.
• Plates and cups
• plastic is better than metal as they
• are lighter in weight
• do not pass the heat on.
 
• SWEET THINGS ARE SUPPLIED IN THE MENU. BY BRINGING EXTRA SWEETS, CHIPS AND THINGS YOU ARE FILLING UP THE SHARE BUCKET. THESE THINGS GET USED IN THE UNIT PROGRAM AT A LATER DATE... OR THEY GO IN THE OUT BIN!.

Overnight Packing

Normally what is packed is

• 1 x normal hat.
• 1 x coat
• 1 x jumper
• 1 x change of top
• 1 x change of underwear
• 1 x trousers { in hotter months 1 x shorts]
• 1 x pair of socks
• 1 x spare of shoes

over cold months

• 1 x gloves
• 1 x beany

Personal things

• hairbrush
• 1 x elastic bands
• 1 x washer
• 1 x towel
• Sunscreen
• Toothbrush
• toothpaste

Dilly bag

• Plates
• dinner
• bread
• bowl
• Utensils
• knife
• fork
• spoon
• teaspoon
• tea towel

 Bedding

• 1 x sleeping bag
• 1 x inner bag
• 1 x ground sheet
• 1 x pillow case

Torch

• rechargeable batteries.

Teddy bear

• small that stretches from the base of your hand [writst] to the tip of your fingers.  No bigger.

Now there are things not to take. Remember that extra weight is not an option.

A recycling plastic bag us

On camp we mix the cooking ingredients in a plastic bag as we try to not take excess baggage and weight.

Light weight tents to be pitched

In many ways light weight tents care and useage is the same as using any other shelter area. The safety rules are the same. Essentailly do not endanger yourself, others or the environment.  Common sense is not enough though.  Leaning the basics is nore than putting up a tent.  There are things to do while lookiing out for other things. Then there is practice, more practice and a dash of old wisdom along with common sense is close to the mix that is needed.

Plans for Septeber 2010 Overnight Stay

• Opening ceremony
• Emergency site procedures
• Make a camp Flag pole [from scratch] -to be used at future camp activities
• Start on camp flag to be used at future camp activites.
• Lunch
• Make tripods and camp gadget shelves.
• Make afternoon tea
• Put tents up ...
• Kitchen Fly (outside)
• Sleeping tents (inside)
• Hike and BBQ (may be fish?)
• Prepare Dinner
• Tate Kitchen fly down!
• Dinner
• Campfire
• Cook breakfast with the buddy burner
• Closing Ceremony

Overnight stay change of date

Septembers overnight stay has had a change of date.  Now the first week of September 25th /26th.  Beginning at 10am Thursday til Friday 10am.  Need this time as kitchen flys must be erected and struck several times before evening.

Need is also for a few more people who have Guide Police Checks and also their Working With Children cards.  Must fill out Associate member form and send to Melbourne before the date of Overnight Stay.

Introducing a Buddy Burner.

A Buddy Burner is a cooking appliance made up from using two tins, some cardboard and melted wax.

The heat is gained by covering up and open flame with a can that in height is approximately a third bigger than the small tin can which is housing the wick.  The size above the 'wick' tins top is important as the air circulation is needed to keep the flame alight.  Suffocation of the flame on the wick causes a smoky mess [or that does not cook the food as the flame struggles to keep alight.

Be warned that while in use and immediately after All the cans get extremely hot.  A Buddy Burner is not something that is used in a drought or on high fire danger days. 

However when there is cooking needed to be done on a trip that has a lot of rain and inclement weather about as long as the 'wick' does not get overly wet using the buddy burner is a good idea. The cooking surface is the top of the upturned larger can or as in this photo a biscuit tin lid.

A third can, saucepan etc may be added to the top of the upside cooking surface down can.  Although experience has shown that the surface can should have both top and bottom ends removed [leaving a cylinder] and then have a pot surface to cook directly on top of the openings.

Another method involves placing thin steel bars through the tin can.  Then placing a billy on top of these bars. However the soot on the side of the cooking 'pot' may be hard to get off unless you have soaped the cooking container.

What recipes are able to be used on the buddy burner are varied. All it takes is practice and patience.

Tent and Gadget Overnight stay Campfire songs and plan

Planning the campfire program for the otent and gadget overnight stay is progressing okay.  Different songs selected have been brought to Guides and yes we have had a meery time keeping out of tune but making a lot of noises.


Campfire opening
100 years of Guiding
My Favourite things


Guide Law Song
Oh bring back my leader to me


Song of the bins
Kookaburra Sits on the old Gum tree
Oh I had a little chicken but it

Countdown Cheer
Make new friends
Go well and go safetly
Invitation to evening Tapps

Not sure if Alice the Camel should be squeezed into this program.  We'll see.

Have yet to make up the booklets and that's a next weeks job. .. once I've located graphics to use so the program pages are not so boaring. 

[Also need to have the printing of the overnight stay forms done to]

Overnight stay April 2010 evening activities

Evening activities planned from 7.30 first night overnight stay April 2010

•  Promises and reaffirmations with Bubbles 
• Rac Wac hike,

the emu bob

Where ever there are people there is rubbish.  So at the end of an activity, event, camp, or what ever the things left behind by the people must be removed and disposed of.

An emu bob has every person available holding a bag for rubbish that is found.  When the signal has been given every one walks around (hopefully in an orderly manner) picking up bits or rubbish. There usually is something really nice at the other end of this duty for special people. With all the bits bound to be found everyone is bobbing up and down like an Emu.  Hence this activity is called and Eu bob.

An extension of this activity is Clean up Australia Day that occurs on the first Sunday of March each year.  One of the founders and principle characters with Clean up Australia Day is a Guide.  Wonder where she learned and practiced for moving from Emu Bob into Clean Up Australia Day and now Clean up the World campaigne.

See a little bit of 'Rubbish' can take you a long way..