Summer Camp - Day 5

On the morning of Wednesday 20th August at about 0700, the Sliema Venture Scouts awoke for their last day at camp. After a hearty breakfast of eggs and bacon the Unit got down to striking camp and making sure that everything was left spic and span for Austin, our host.



Leslie, the Association's Commisioner for Training, paid us a visit and we showed him around the campsite even though we were in the process of dismantling.

The Recruits sorted out their kit for the navex and soon Mario, the truck driver, had arrived. After loading all the equipment we did a final check of the area and set off, with Charles towards the starting point of the Day Nav.

The solo day nav lasted til about 2030 when Charles picked us up from the forming up point, somewhere on the other side of the island. The exercise was the last of three navigation exercises preparing the recruits for their Gradex. Apart from being physically challenging the recruits also had to be precise in their navigation technique and were asked to carry out certain tasks related to the basic training.

A date has finally been set for the O-Coys GRADEX (27th-28th September). This is an overnight activity during which the recruits will attempt various challenges related to the basic training; this included a summer's worth of training in navigation, first aid, SAR & evacuation technique, estimation and ranging, bivvying, cooking and nutrition in the field, pioneering and rescue knots.
The activity takes the form of a Solo Day-nav (similar to that carried out during camp) which includes incident points; practical tests on the basic skills. After the day nav they will be required to build bivvies and cook a nutritious meal and be given a chance to rest. This is followed by a night navigation exercise carried out in pairs. At the fup of the night nav the recruits are to carryout a search and rescue and medevac.

The gradex can be seen as quite a tough activity...it is basically the culmination of all the training we've done throughout the summer.

Mo$es