Activity Weekend
Last weekend TY went to Killaloe for an activity weekend at the University of Limerick Activity Centre. We did a range of activities including, Orienteering, Mountain Rescue, High Ropes, Wind Surfing, Kayaking, Team Building and Raft Building!
Orienteering - We started the orienteering in pairs and had to finish a practice course. In this we were given a marked map, at each of the marks was a sign with a symbol on it. We then had to write this down on a sheet of paper and the first pair back won. We then were split up into two groups and did the following activities in those groups.
Mountain Rescue - This was the ultimate team challenge. In our teams we had to go up a mountain using a map and the skills we had gained from the previous activity. Each team then had to find a card which explained what we had to do next. At this point one team stole the other teams card and held them back about 5 minutes. Still the winning team was the one that did not cheat!!!!
High Ropes - This activity was done at night on a 40 feet high structure. There were three things that each person could do on this structure; from left to right the first was a tall wooden pole with a platform at the top, the object of this contraption was to fit four people on to the top platform, (easier said than done!!). The next contraption was a single person course, the object being to get from the bottom to the top, and back again. To do this you had to walk up big logs and go across a thin wire. The last one was a teamwork exercise in which four people had to climb a log ladder where the spaces between the logs went from about one metre to two and a half metres. The object was to get your team up as many logs as possible (gradually getting further apart).
Wind Surfing - This, as the title suggests, was wind surfing, but what the title should actually say is Wind Surfing (with no wind). This of course is much more difficult, though I think we still enjoyed it!!
Kayaking - This was quite normal kayaking and was fun watching some people not being able to get back into their kayaks once they had fallen out, (not mentioning any names Stephen!!)
Team Building - This effectively is what we were there for, in this we had a series of tasks which involved us working in a team. These tasks are as follows:
Building a Jigsaw - One person from the team is blindfolded. The other team members have to tell him/her were the pieces are. Once all the pieces have been dropped in the designated area, then the whole team goes down to the area and once again one person is blindfolded and the team must tell him/her how to put it together.
Orienteering - See top of other page.
Raft Building - See bottom of page.
Train tracks - This was a whole team effort to get from one side of a pier to the other using blocks, two planks of wood which five people had to all step together using the two planks as long feet. If you touched the ground you were held back ten seconds (seconds turn to minutes very quickly!). Once at the end the team had to complete a maths problem called the Haundi Towers. The first team to finish wins.
Raft Building - Each team had to build a raft, then use it to get all the team members round a buoy, catch a flag and then come back with a raft all intact. The overall result was both teams rafts being ruined and both teams having to be brought back in safety boats. (Dont worry, Ronan, we wont tell them how you ruined the raft!
It was really good weekend that everyone definitely enjoyed.
Thank you to Mr. Power for giving up his time to come with us and keeping Ollie under control!
Thanks to Mr. Egan for organising the whole trip and taking part in the high ropes.
And of course to Mrs. OByrne for all the excellent cooking.
