9:25 pm
9:30 am. N.W.N. winds. Lake Rotoiti. Camping with the E's.
This morning First Mate woke up to the sun shining through the walls of the tent. There is something nice about lying in your sleeping bag all cosy and listening to the birds sing and knowing that you are the only one awake, it makes a great time to read the Bible!!!
When Able Seaman and E10 woke up the three whispered and made plans.
Meanwhile Captain J12 and Second Mate were reading and talking, every now and then a muffled laugh coming from their tent.
And in the tent where Ship’s Boy, S7 and The Crew,
(because T3 and M5 make The Crew we have decided that when referring to M5 we will write The Crew in blue and when referring to T3 we will write in pink) had been sleeping, a conversation of all sorts was in full swing.
The Crew and Ship’s Baby were in the tent that mum and dad slept in.
A3 was with her mum and dad in the bach.
After discovering that both families had brought home-made-muesli everyone was eager to compare muesli. Both sorts tasted good!! Better than the shop stuff!!
“Why don’t we take the kayaks and SWALLOW down to the lake and have fun?,” Mr Edmond proposed.
No one disagreed with the idea, everyone hardly being able to wait to get in the water, (except the mums who don’t generally go in the water, except to save a drowning child, because they get too cold take their job of looking out for everyone seriously).
“Would any of you like to go in IMP?,” Captain asked.
A chorus of yeses rose so Captain suggested, “First and Second Mate seeing as you are already in togs would you mind getting IMP ready?”
After what seemed like a very long time everyone was ready and the procession started.
Leading, was The Crew, S7, Ship’s Boy and Baby and A3. Next in line was E10 and Second Mate pulling the two kayaks with First Mate and J12 bringing SWALLOW and IMP and bringing up the rear came Captain bringing countless life jackets and the adults.
Once the kayaks and boats had been parked on the grass beside a mountain of life jackets all the kids stood on the grass beside the jetty offering for each other to be the first on the jetty, (each intending to push whoever walked on to the jetty, off the jetty).
While we were standing there waiting S7 ran on to the jetty, along and off landing in the water bomb-wise, creating a huge splash!
Hmm….S7 was the first one in the lake and he had not been pushed or wrestled off, lucky him!
After this lucky entry the kids all tried to push the dads off. All that we achieved was to be pushed in our selves, but we didn’t really mind and it was lots of fun!
And as if jetty jumping and swimming weren’t enough there was SWALLOW to sail, IMP to row and kayaks to paddle.
Because a N.W.N. that measured about 25 knts was blowing down the lake it made rowing a bit hard, but the sailing went really well right up to last minute, almost, J12 and Second Mate were out on the lake 100 off shore when they went about and didn’t quite make it around and back into the wind, losing the wind as they did so.
“Would you come and turn us into the wind?” they called to the First Mate who was watching them from a kayak.
There was no need, for Mr Edmond who had also been watching, called out to Second Mate telling him to move forward in SWALLOW. It worked a treat and soon we were all back in shore.
“We got a bit nervous out there when we were just sitting there,” Second Mate and SWALLOW‘’s Skipper said.
“I could see it in your faces,” First Mate remarked.
**********
It had rained during the night and the tent where S7, Ship’s Boy and The Crew had been sleeping had leaked so their tent, along with the girls’ tent, was shifted under the trees and tarpaulins were erected above the tents so they would not leak.
After a game of set E10 said, “Let’s make something that we can use,”
“Good idea…but what,” Able Seaman wondered.
First Mate, E10, Able Seaman and The Crew sat there thinking hard when Mrs Edmond said to mum, “This table is too small for everyone this year!”
“That’s it, a table!” cried Able Seaman.
“Perfect!” That was E10
“But,” said First Mate, who was wary of the idea “are we allowed and do we have the materials?”
“Don’t worry,” said E10 who had just checked with her dad, “it is alright, we’re allowed to use some of that decking timber and these tools.” She said, dumping a hammer, a tin of nails and pens and a saw on the grass.
After some discussing the girls decided the table would be approximately 25 x 50 cm.
Soon the noises we were making brought all six boys to the scene, with enquirees as to what was being made.
“A table,” Able Seaman said and showed all who were curious.
It was not long before everyone was in the table making business.
This game usually takes a long time and a lot of team work to win and provides a heap of fun!
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