North Coast Region Ebor Rock School
8-11 June 2007
5 Members from 1st Ballina Scout Group attended the fantastic
but cold abseiling weekend at Ebor. Scouts, Cooper and Bruce along with Scout
Leader Falcon (Scott David), Group Leader Ian Hale and Joey Leader, Millemurra
(Debbie McGregor). We arrived on Friday night at 11.45pm the car temperature
said it was 2 degrees "Ice" and yes it was icy outside, sleeting in fact. Only
hard core Scouts would have fun setting up tents late at night in the dark and
in freezing conditions. So cold you could not feel your fingers.
It was so cold that the leaders sat around the fire keeping warm till about
3.00am on the Friday night and then thought we better brave it and go to bed.
Overnight there was light snow that covered our tents. Pretty hard to get out of
a nice warm sleeping bag.
Falcon said did you mention it was COLD.
Saturday was too wet to go abseiling so we did all our theory and safety work
and sat around the fire to try and keep warm. Sunday was still cold but sunny so
we were able to go Abseiling. Most of the abseils were 10 - 15 metres, It was a
great setting near the water falls.
Approximately 80 people attended the camp with 53 youth members. The weekend was
run by North Coast Region Activities Team and the Northern region Fellowship.
Groups from Murwillumbah down to Port Macquarie attended. Sunday night we were
told the temperature was -7.
Falcon said did you mention it was COLD
Cooper and Bruce achieved their Abseiling Proficiency badge which included a
minimum of 5 Abseils and theory work. Most Scouts were able to have 5 - 7
abseils which was fantastic.
The boys said the rock scramble to get back up was also a challenge and
Millemurra agreed and said lucky they had a rope to help pull yourself up.
We all had a great weekend despite the extreme cold and wearing numerous layers
of clothes.
We would like to say a huge BRAVARO to the Activities team for running a great
abseiling weekend and we feel very lucky to be given these opportunities.
Snow on Ian's tent.
Cooper at the back of Millemurra's tent with the light
snow.
Millemurra with one of the new 1st Ballina Scouting Australia Feather flags.
View of water falls near where we abseiled.
Falcon Abseiling.
Falcon beyond the point of no return.
Ian Hale doing a demonstration with night flares.
The flares were really bright and you should not to look
directly at them.
As Falcon kept pointing out it was COLD.
Make sure your harness it done up real tight Cooper.
Cooper on one of his many abseils.
