Preparations for the PLAPL Camp

A PLAPL training camp is for the Patrol Leaders and Assistant Patrol Leaders. We as ASLs are taking on the role of Patrol Leaders (does that make me the assistant as the other ASL is technically in charge?) for the duration. Last night we got the PLAPLs to put up a Icelandic 3 tent (one of the biggest and in best condition we own) and a dining shelter. We started at 7ish and finished at 8ish which was quite impressive considering that only one of the scouts had actually pitched and slept in one before.

Once up, they realised the size of the tent - though I doubt they'll understand the true magistry of the Icelandic series until it starts raining tomorrow and is freezing cold.
As we said last night, anyone can camp in the warm summer weather but they need to know how to deal with a wet camp too! The first comment that suprised me was one of the PLs said 'if it's raining tomorrow we won't be able to have a fire'.

I really hope there is a downpour now so we can show them it is possible to light a fire in any condition if you think carefully about what you're doing and follow some of the skills we've been teaching them over the past two/three years! It reminds me of the story my driving instructor told me about a fellow student who took a test three weeks before I took mine. Her test was quite late in the year in the early evening. As she was in the middle of the test, it got particularly dark and started to rain. Even though this student had had over 42 hours of driving lessons they had all been at midday and miraculously, it had never rained. She didn't know where either the headlamps were nor the wipers - and she failed because of it. Similarly all of our camps I can remember for the past five years have been in dry, warm weather - they've never had to light a fire in the rain and it is something I hope to correct this weekend.