Corss Country 2014!

Cross Country is OVER!

All of the training was for nothing, for me. Sadly, I didn't get to run. But I got to support My House, Hoiho! I was chanting and yelling out to the ones who needed support to help them run and to the ones that  were always in the front and who passed the finshed line in  the top 5. It was AWESOME. To see all of the children from Hoiho that one something, bring the points for us.

GO HOIHO 

 

Basic Optimist Sailing

If you are wondering about sailing over these school holidays this just might be the report for you. I’m going to tell all about Optimist Sailing and all of the basics you need to know in order to make this trip as memorable as you want it.

The very first thing that you need is a safety check. You need to make sure that you are wearing the right clothing like warm thermals and togs. Make sure that you have a life jacket on and good, hard shoes so your feet don't get glass in them. You will also need to make sure that your tiller and rudder are on properly and your sail is completely on the top pole and on the bottom pole. They need as tight as they can be. There are two bungs in the side’s and front of the boat. Make sure they are in tightly. If you have too much water in your boat there is a bucket at the front of the boat. Scoop the water out with it.

Once you have done the safety check make sure that your boat has been put together correctly. There needs to be a sail on the top pole. There needs to be 2 ropes hanging from it . On to hold it in place and the other to tighten and loosen the sail This is called the mainsheet rope. On the back there will the the rudder. The handle attached to the rudder is called  the tiller. On the sides there will be  two bungs. If there is any major water unplugged the bungees and you boat will not sink. If the water is  not so major you can use the bucket at the front.

Now this is the real deal. This is how to sail the boat. First of all you need to hop in the boat the correct way. If you have one person (Adult) in the boat they need to be lying down and be able to reach the mainsheet rope and the tiller. If you are a child just make sure that you are balancing the boat properly.  If you have two people in the boat. (One for each job) you both need to be sitting up if you are a child. Two adults can not fit. If you want to go faster pull on the rope to get  more wind in your sail and if you would like less speed loosen the rope. You always need to hold on to the rope so your sail doesn't fly away and the Boom will turn so make sure that you duck down so you don’t get a sore head. How to steer your boat is quite easy. If you would like to go left turn the tiller right and if you want to go right turn the tiller left. As easy as that. You will need some simple commands. To duck say Boom because some people get confused if you are pointing to a Duck. If you are at the front and you see something that you could hit say left or right to tell the other person to steer out of the way.

Capsizing can be a fun thing if done on purpose but when it comes out of nowhere it can be freaky. If you would like to capsize you need to lean to one side of the boat and take your centreboard out. Then you can tip. To recover capsizing you need to lean on on your centreboard and try to lean to the other side of boat. Also you need to have some hand signals. If none of these techniques has worked you need to yell “Help” and wave your hand so they see where you are and what they can do to rescue you. Once you are up right sail slowly back to shore or get someone to tow you back if anyone else is in the water with you.

My overall experience of yacht was very exciting and challenging because I have never done it before. I had a really great time and thought it was fun to try something I have never done before. My favorite part was going in around the buoy that they out out. You need the right regulation of speed to get through and around right. The water that you sail in can't be that choppy so Pandora Pond can be the best place to go Optimist Yachting because on a slightly windy day the water is fine and you can go in a yacht with no problems at all. My overall rating is 10/10 the boats didn’t have holes in them and you just cruise around the pond and enjoy the pond waters as you sail away from shore.

I hope this guide helped you plan your trip for Optimist Sailing. This activity can be fun and you can also learn how to even become a pro sailer by starting on these. They are also very good for kids to learn how to sail a boat or even the first time in a boat.  I hope this guide will help you to have the most memorable boating trip of your life.          

       

Yachting Reflection 2013

Yachting

Over the past week I have been Optimist Yachting and Kayaking. This is my reflection. Something I was pleased with was Yachting because I liked going round the sharp corners and flying round on the water. It was exciting because I have never been optimist yachting before and I thought it was really cool.

Something that I got scared about was going out far in the Kayak because I panicked a little and I couldn’t row left enough and I kept going the other direction. I got a little stressed with the kayak and I think I should go in a double next time so I won't get stuck and if I do the other person can come with me.

Something I need to improve is how to use a kayak oar properly and figuring out how to steer the kayak properly so I don’t go out where I was last time. That was freaky so that is my goal for next time.  

Something I could have done better was using the mainsheet the first time and not chicken out and sail back to shore and go back to the tiller prostitution  because I was too scared and made the rope very loose. I didn’t like it when the boat tipped when I was in control.

My plan next time I would like to go in a yacht by myself and be in charge so I can go by myself and I know when I want to steer and use the mainsheet so I know what to do it. I would also go on a single kayak so I can go at my own pace and not get a sore back anymore

Allround Day 1 (Monday)

It was really fun because it was my very first time in a yacht. I liked doing the tiller best and I went in a boat with Milly and in the kayak I was by myself and I got drifted out to sea.  It was terrible.  I liked rowing and sailing around the lake because it was fun and peaceful. I thought that this was really fun and I wanted to go again.

Allround Day 2 (Thursday)

Thursday was fun. We went yachting first and my buddy was Alex. She was a good buddy and I went on Mainsheet first and It was fun. Alex wanted to go on tiller and  I was fine with that.  It turned out that I was good at doing Mainsheet and I was just a (chicken thee first time.) For kayaking I was with Milly and we went under the bridge and around the harbour. It was fun. Milly took us around most of the harbour and I could just  sit back and relax. It was an amazing exprienice.  

Onepoto Caves

Onepoto Caves.

I liked going into the caves best because it was a really fun adventure and I like learning about the land and how it came together as one.

Onepoto Caves were formed 2,200 years ago. The Caves formed in the same way as Waikaremoana. It  goes through a small valley 10 km south of the Aniwaniwa Visitor Center. Onepoto Caves are completely harmless and they won’t hurt you at all. They are 2 Km’s long and 2 hours to walk around the track fully. There are heaps and heaps of cave weta found in Onepoto caves . Even baby Cave Weta.  Be careful though, they are everywhere. DOC officers say you need a torch. They are very dark in some places. It takes 3 hours and 47 minutes to travel to Onepoto Caves from Hastings. These caves are very muddy.  Onepoto Caves have over ten caves in the whole entire track.

Room 17 went to Onepoto Caves In the Te Urewera National park. It was for a  really fun activity for Camp Kaitawa. We also had Mrs Roil and Miss Hill.

Next’ I would like to go in the big cave with a rope. I would also leave my torch behind and go in the dark. I think that will be challenging for me. I would like to hold a Cave Weta in my hand and let it walk up my hand but not up my arm. My biggest fear is insects walking on my hand, even butterflies.   

So you should go and check Onepoto caves for yourself. Don’t forget to take a torch and a friend.

By Ethin


Photo from: Room 17 Camp Kaitawa Photos.

Glow Worm Report

Glow  Worms

This is about Glow Worms. Their  tail glow’s because of the Bioluminescence in their tail.

The Glow Worm lives in caves, under houses  and dark damp places because they like it where

their light can shine. They use this light to invent  other worms to come eat dinner with them.

The Glow worm population is in Australia and New Zealand. The New Zealand Glow Worm is called Arachnocampa Luminosa. They are unique to New Zealand.There are heaps of different  species of glow worms spread over the world.

Glow worms are carnivores. They eat mosquitoes and flies. They can go without food for a month. Glow Worms catch their dinner by lowering their of sticky mucus to catch Midges, Mosquitoes and Flies.

The glow worm predators are Spider’s, Bird’s and centipede’s. These insects live in the ground. The spider uses sticky snares to pick up Glow worms

The life cycle of the glow worm is                                                                                         

1. They are eggs for Three weeks.

2. Glow worm for Nine months

3.They are a pupa(canon) for 2 weeks

4.Adult Flies for 3 days and they cannot eat. They just mate and lay eggs  for the time that they can live.

     

                                                                                        www.waitomo.com  

                                                

You can go see glow worms at the Waitomo caves. It takes 3 hours and 47 minutes from Hastings. Please try not to danger this species in any way or form please.

By Ethin

Templeton History

James Templeton Married Margaret Wilson in March 1794. They had 10 children  one was John Templeton

John Templeton born in dreghorn, Ayrshire Scotland (1769-1881) He married Martha kenneth who was born in Kilwinning, Ayrshire Scotland(1812-1881) in 1842 and had 6 children. Their second youngest Child was William Templeton

William Templeton was born in Meiklewood, Kilmarnock in Scotland in 1852. He married Margret

Campbell in Waimate NZ in 1885. As he does not appear on the Government Assisted Immigrants List it appears that he was wealthy enough to afford the afford the fare himself. arrived 1883(Approx 14 pounds at the time) or was sponsored by another person, possibly his future father in law as he worked on his farm as a ploughman. He and Margret had five sons and one daughter. After the first child was born the family moved to Havelock North where he worked as a road overseer for the Hawkes Bay County Council. He died in November 1915  

The fourth child was David Muir Templeton born in 1894 in Havelock North and named after his mothers brother. He married Doris Jensen and had three children the last one was Bob or Poppa. He spent most of his working life as a shepherd on farms in the Hawkes Bay area and lived at Whakatu. He also served as a soldier In the first world war(Photo Below) where he manned Vickers Machine Guns. After being wounded when a bullet shattered his elbow. He was repatriated and spent some time in rehab. He died in 1964.

Bob Templeton Married Heather Sinclair in 1966 and has three children, David, Louise and Greg. Bob worked as a carpenter or orchardist for most of his working life before retiring to Havelock North.

David Templeton  married Nicky Gotham in 1991 and has 2 children Alex and Brain.. He works as a I.T consultant.

Louise Templeton has one child Mason. She works in the Building  Industruy

Greg Templeton has four children Sage,Ethin, Xavier and Wyatt. He works in the Engineering Industry.

Ethin Templeton was born in 2003 and goes to Parkvale Primary School. He has One sister And 2 half Brothers.