Seven Days Before

The mast!

From Captain S. B. Brown, in Suva.

The “Outward Bound” type of holiday for boys has now ead to most countries of the Commonwealth. In one form another, sea cruises or mountain climbing expeditions are hg excellent training to boys in leadership and self-reliance.

AN experiment in this type of holiday was a cruise made in December from Fiji using the ketch Maroro as the training ship. In addition to the ship’s boats, we carried a sailing dinghy. On this cruise, we took 20 boys, 18 Europeans and two Fijians, on a week’s cruise. Ages ranged from eight to 16 years—a good deal younger than the boys in most overseas groups. Instructions

were given in seamanship, yacht rig-

ging and steering. Senior boys had lectures on survival at sea and chart work while juniors were taught the rule of the road at sea, knots, and the use of the lead and heaving lines.

The boys took over the work of the ship, hoisting and setting sails and providing a helmsman. Two watches were formed, each responsible for cleanliness of bunks and messdecks in their own part of the ship.

During the week the Maroro anchored at Malumu Bay, Dakuni and Stuart Island. At these times the boys “abandoned ship”, sometimes donning life jackets and rowing

ashore, sometimes sailing independ-

cntly in the dinghy, and at other times a block and line would be erected to assist “survivors” to land, although the main use of this seemed to be in giving the younger boys a ride!

On shore the boys were taught swimming, skin diving, rock climbing, judo and how to build survival shelters and signal posts. The day usually ended with a bonfire and beach barbecue.

Never did a sailing ship have a more enthusiastic crew. The first day out from port the boys were astir and on deck by 5.30 a.m., ready, and in deed eager, to scrub decks. They actually started before 6 o’clock, the required time to “turn to”. By the third morning, however, there was noticeably less enthusiasm for rising, shining and deck scrubbing, although as the week progressed the decks achieved a startling whiteness as the two watches vied with each other to win the competition for the cleanest part of the ship.

As a first venture the cruise was a success. Although it did not achieve all that we hoped, this was due to the big difference in age groups and the necessity for altering the curriculum to suit the younger boys. At the same time this difference in age gave the older boys a chance to take charge of juniors and attend to their welfare as well as their discipline.

Similar cruises are already being planned for the future.

"Abandon ship!" was the order, and the boys put some brawn into the oars! Trying his hand at steering (above) is Robert Cameron, 12, who won the captain's prize for best junior seaman. Below, left, one of the young mariners puts on an expert performance of rock climbing during a shore visit.