On the weekend of the 9th, 10th & 11th the 3 ATC units from Wellington plus Palmerston North, Kapiti and even a handful of Sea Cadets from Levin rendezvoused at Waiterere Forest for the end of year camp that is Exercise Kiwi.
Arriving as the sun set on Friday evening, some tents were erected by torchlight, but after the camp was fully set up the briefing for the weekends activities was given.
A hearty breakfast that included some rather nice breakfast sausages the next morning meant everyone was fully fuelled for the days activities. The assembled cadets (approximately 80!) were split in to 2 teams – the Autobots and the Decepticons – before the melee began! For the next 2 days the 2 teams battled each other in between the occasional distraction that was eating, taking on water and applying sunblock.
After rescuing UN scientists, retrieving antidotes, building stretchers, etc. and all whilst under the threat of attack from the other team day 2 brought the additional excitement of the Angels team (the officers!) taking on both teams in a semi-neutral sort of way!
Smiles were the standard dress for both days, with the cadets loving every minute but all good things must come to an end. With the lead having changed a number of times over the 48hr competition the Autobots emerged the victors by a small margin, some 975 point to 1015!
With the camp broken down and a quick review of the likes and dislikes of the weekend for next years planners (there were considerably more likes than dislikes!), the forest was left to return to it’s normal tranquillity without a couple of squadrons of excited cadets running through it!
