Adventures at Sea

 

Rowing Boats – our four wooden rowing dinghies Douglas Bull, Discovery II, Abel Tasman and Minnow can accommodate up to twenty-one rowers. Ideal for rowing tuition by our experienced staff, they can also be used for transport, fishing and a whole range of games and adventures. After learning the basics of rowing as a team, students participate in some of a wide range of activities, including racing, fishing, treasure hunt, whale rescue, (plastic!) duck hunting and minesweeping, or row to Snug or Coningham beach for a picnic lunch.

 

Sailing – we have two Hartley TS-16 trailer-sailers, Owl and Pussycat, which have been specially modified to carry eight students and an instructor each. Sailing theory is explained in the Centre before boarding, and then beginners take turns in hands-on learning.

 

Power Boats – our four Islander fibreglass dinghies are powered by 4-stroke Yamaha outboard motors, which are quiet, clean and reliable. These stable vessels are ideal for learning the basics of power boating, and secondary students aged 12 to 15 years can complete the practical part of obtaining a Provisional Power Boat licence issued by MAST (Marine and Safety Tasmania). Mission Afloat also runs regular BoatSafe courses for older students and adults, allowing them too to pass the practical part of the licence test. Individuals can enroll in a BoatSafe course – this activity is not just available to group members.

 

Fishing – a popular activity for students, who have the option of making their own take-home hand line (see Big Shed ) or borrowing Mission Afloat’s tackle. Bait is provided, and while flathead are the main quarry, a wide variety of scale fish are present in North West Bay, as well as squid and octopus. Students are taught about the importance of size and bag limits and other regulations in maintaining a healthy fishery, and what can happen to sea creatures if they throw tangled lines or other litter overboard.

 

War Canoes – our two unique craft are based on five metre lengths of poly pipe. Each canoe carries six paddlers. Race them, or just cruise around, the choice is yours! Great for building teamwork, especially when it comes to turning – not easy!

 

Rafts – assemble your own from inner tubes, timber and rope. Race them in teams of eight, by paddle, or face the further challenge of how to rig and work a sail!

 

Candle Boats – primary students make these from plastic bottles and tea light candles in the Big Shed, then launch them after dark. They thoroughly enjoy watching the little lights bobbing on the bay, and toasted marshmallows are also involved!

 

Floundering – done from the dinghies. See what comes out at night – your spotlight might pick out flathead, squid, crabs, maybe even flounder! If you’re quick, you might spear one!

 

Beach Games & Swimming – a local sandy beach is a wonderful venue for swimming and many games and activities in or out of the water: beach barrel races, beach biscuit racing (human tow boats!), beach volcanoes, sand sculptures, beach cricket, etc, etc. Should you need them, qualified staff (Austswim Bronze Medallion) are able to supervise groups within a clearly defined safe swimming area.

 

Seamanship and Boating Safety briefings are always given before any boat-based activity. Older students may opt for a short course on meteorology, tides and the mechanics of sailing if they wish.

   

On-shore Activities

Big Shed – our workshop is full of tools for practical work by groups of up to sixteen students. Make a model boat, balancing parrot, dolphin or seahorse, Saracen sword, model fish or bird (choose from sharks, Moorish idols, swans, seagulls, terns, pelicans and more), fishing line, de-hooker, fish measurer, shells-in-resin ornament, candle boat, knot board… always something new! Instructors help students learn to safely use tools, spray paint and glues, do pokerwork, melt and mould lead for sinkers, tie knots and clean up! Project kits are prepared by our volunteers, using mostly recycled materials or offcuts of timber, to the stage where even absolute beginners at handcrafts can finish most of them within an hour and have a memento of their visit, made with their own hands, to take home.

 

Maypole – always popular with kids of all ages! Four at a time, they swing around the pole on Styrofoam seats attached to sturdy ropes, pushed by their mates, then they swap over and pushers become riders! For safety reasons, must be supervised by an adult, as if you stand in the wrong place you become a human skittle!

   

Bush Golf – a rough-and-ready mini 9-hole golf course is situated next to the chapel. The fairways are short, but challenging as the grass is not exactly billiard-table smooth! Anyone who gets a hole-in-one thoroughly deserves the trophy which is presented on such occasions. Children can make a course like this in the back yard at home (but better ask Dad first!)

 

Archery – this activity can be done outside next to the chapel, or in the gymnasium. Strict safety rules are in place, of course, but this does not prevent this being a fun activity and possibly an awakening of an interest in taking it further. Again, expert instruction in technique and safety is provided.

 

The Oval – available for either organised activities, or to kick a footy or swing a bat in free time. Apart from the more conventional ball games, relays etc. why not try Octopull, a four-way tug o’war,

or the plank, where teams of four have to race against each other or the clock on sort of “super thongs” (two planks of wood with four foot-stirrups on each), which requires perfect teamwork to avoid spills!

 

Volleyball – can be played in the gymnasium, or on the court next to the maypole. Ball and net provided.

 

Challenge Course – among the trees near the maypole are a few pieces of equipment known as Wade’s Challenge. Students work together to solve the Towers of Hanoi puzzle, to get as many onto the deck as they possibly can in All Aboard, and to stand on The Log, changing positions into different orders without falling off. If that’s too easy, try doing it without talking, which makes it a lot harder to communicate!

 

The Gymnasium – for indoor games, such as archery and volleyball as mentioned, and also soccer, cricket, basketball, stretching exercises and general fitness work. – in fact, almost anything, if you bring your own equipment (but ask first!). Has also been used for judo, craft work, band practice and as a classroom.

 

The Centre (Hall) – table tennis tables, bats and balls and carpet bowls are available for use free of charge.

 

Quiet Times

 

Of course, you don’t have to use Mission Afloat’s programs. Montgomery Park is still available for traditional church camps and retreats, and even schools and youth groups can have some quiet periods for study and reflection. If you book Montgomery Park, your group has it to yourselves, so you won’t have your quiet time interrupted by other noisy campers! Some suggested quieter activities include:

 

Bushwalking – follow the coastal track to Coningham or to Snug. Magnificent views over North West Bay and D’Entrecasteaux Channel to Tinderbox and Bruny Island, and abundant bird life. A short car ride to the Snug and Pelverata Falls tracks, and well positioned for the Bruny Island ferry at Kettering, Montgomery Park is also a good “base camp” for excursions to these and other popular walks.

 

Retreats – as previously mentioned, we only book one group at a time into Monty Park, so it is ideal for quiet study and contemplation. The chapel (see below) is available for prayer and worship, and there are plenty of places in the grounds for those who prefer to do their meditation in the open air. There are plenty of rooms and outdoor spots for one-on-one or small group teaching or counselling. We can’t guarantee you’ll have the beach to yourself (it IS a public place!) but the chances are pretty good.

 

The Chapel, or to give it its formal name, the Bishop Stanton Chapel of St. Stephen, was donated to Montgomery Park by the Parish of Beaconsfield (now part of West Tamar parish). It was brought down to Coningham and re-erected in 1991. All campers are able to use the chapel for appropriate purposes, and vessels for Holy Communion are available on request.

 

Aboriginal Studies – Mission Afloat has been pleased to host several camps for Tasmanian Aboriginal adults and children where they can get together as a community and learn about their culture. Being only a short distance from important sites at Oyster Cove and on Bruny Island, we are an ideal overnight camp for groups from the North as well as from Hobart.