DP Orientation/Science trip

This is one of my good friends, Iason drinking soup after swimming down the freezing cold river (Mr. Duncan)

Day 1: After traveling for 2 hours on the buses having very little sleep we arrived at the camp at 9:30 where we dropped our bags off and got straight back out there ready for action. 10 minutes up the road we stopped and we all went out onto the busy road where we crossed and started to gear up. Bright yellow helmets, jackets and red life jackets. We grabbed a paddle and walled down the steep staircase going down to the river. Lucca and I brought down one of the safety kayaks. We got down there and we had some well deserved tea that got us ready and warm for the freezing cold river ahead. We got into our rafts and crossed the river to a small beach. AS we started to walk in as told to by our guides I could slowly feel the cold water creeping up my legs as we got deeper. Standing there waist deep in the freezing river we were instructed to go into white water position which meant we were laying down in the freezing water. After getting back up and losing odds on my friend Arvin I had to duck under completely submerging myself in the freezing water. Not fun but I got used to it. With a bit more debriefing we embarked on our adventure down the river. First creating a cheer for our new name “the big blues” then we were off. Going down every rapid was thrilling and definitely gave all of us an adrenaline high. Approaching the final rapid after an incredible journey down the rapid we were told to paddle fast at the white water ahead as we were feet from the drop into the white water. At the last minute our guide told us to get down and hold on. Water submerged the raft momentarily, everything went dark and water surrounded us. Quiet feel and then bang the sound of the rapid started up again. Light filled my eyes as we surfaced. We made it. After the last exhilarating rapid we got out and hiked up for lunch. After lunch we went canyoning, which was just as exciting as slipping and sliding down the rocks, down the natural slides and jumping off the cliffs. We slowly but surely made our way down the canyon where we then hiked back up to the river where we got into the fast flow of the river and had to get in the white water position and we floated down the river back to camp where we were met with some warm soup which was definitely needed.

This was my group rafting which was the first activity on the trip (Wade)

Day 2: After an early wake up we had some tea and then got straight into our action clothes where we did some stretching with myself and Liam and played some team building games followed by a river bath which was presently chilly. We then went for breakfast and then headed off to collect biology data. Getting drenched in rain and covered in leeches we returned in one piece for lunch. After lunch we headed back out to a rainforest where we continued to collect more data after crossing the river in a local ferry once again. Followed by tea and another river bath before having dinner and heading to bed.

Our DP 1 group photo on the borderlands trip (Mr. Duncan)

Day 3: Yet another early start followed by tea and morning exercise again and then a river bath. We headed back to where we were the first day by the river where we collected some water samples and analysed the species and the water speed. We caught some invertebrates and one group actually caught a shrimp. During the time in the cold water yet again we finished up and collected some rubbish which was around the river area where we were. We got back to camp, had lunch and then it was time to head back. We got back to school at 4:30 and wow what an experience.

This was a great experience where we met all our trips learning objectives and CAS points, some activity, creativity and a small bit of service as well. Learning while doing and having a really good time.

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