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Cold Water Challenge

Last Friday, a group of 11 cadets and accompanying staff departed for two days in Oxford and Northampton. Our bases of operation were the Oxford Sea Cadets - using the resources available at the Isis Canoe Club - and also the Nene White Water Centre in Northampton. The aim of the camp was to introduce cadets to adventurous activities and promote new skills and teamwork.

Before we left, Cadets were introduced to kayaks in our own School pool and given a safety session which included being turned vertical and capsizing. After much splashing it was time to get dried off to depart to Oxford.

Once in Oxford the cadets donned wet weather gear, life jackets and glow sticks. Canoes were strapped together on the Thames and as a single unit we paddled into the night. This gave Cadets the opportunity to get used to paddling, to work together as a team whilst being given a brief overview of paddling sports and navigation under the stars. Luckily the sky stayed clear and the weather dry.

Kingham Hill CCF - Cold Water Challenge

On returning to the Sea Cadets' building, our cadets got their heads down for the night ready for the day ahead. Saturday dawned bright, and the cadets were up at 7am for an impressive English breakfast which two of the senior cadets cooked whilst the others took care of the morning chores.   

After a leisurely start, it was back to Isis Canoe Club where the cadets split into threes and were given a canoe for the day. 

After some fun warm up exercises it was time to get kitted up, strap all of the days supplies into barrels and get out on the water.  It took a little while for the cadets to get the hang of moving in a straight line and some got to know the banks and trees much better than others! 

Kingham Hill CCF - Cold Water Challenge

The morning was then whiled away meandering along the Thames and Cherwell, finding the smallest tributaries to paddle along, ducking under tiny bridges and being blown in all directions by the wind.  

Kingham Hill CCF - Cold Water Challenge

We had lunch in a secluded area by a weir, where under the shade of a tree the cadets cooked their ration pack lunches on trangias.  For most this was their first experience of ration packs and there was a lot of fun had trying the all the different elements.  

Kingham Hill CCF - Cold Water Challenge

Following lunch it was back into the canoes to head back through a lock and a weir. Up to this point things had been fairly dry, however it was on the last stretch home, when the water was no deeper than a couple of feet that one group of three cadets managed to capsize their canoe – we are still not sure how they completed this feat!

Kingham Hill CCF - Cold Water Challenge

The evening was finished off with a BBQ and movie ready for the white water day ahead.

Sunday dawned damp and following a leisurely breakfast (again cooked by the cadets) it was time to pack up and head to Nene White Water Centre in Northampton for the day's activity. On arrival the cadets got used to their kayaks on the flat water, learning how to paddle, turn, and safely navigate. There was much shouting and laughter as they played games and had races.

Kingham Hill CCF - Cold Water Challenge

After lunch it was time to get on to the white water course. Each cadet was taken down the level 2 course approximately three times by our qualified staff. For some this was a scary activity and we were so pleased to see everyone give it a go. No one had a dry bone in their body by the end of the course and everyone had capsized at least once. However the smiles and chatter showed how much fun it was.

It was then time to get warm and dry and get back on the bus for the drive home. Following a treat of dinner at McDonalds, the cadets returned to Kingham.

We were very proud of how they all conducted themselves, looking out for each other, supporting and pushing their fellow cadets to try everything and above all, not giving up.