FISHING CAMP 2024

Last week, 33 of our bravest Year 10s ventured into deepest Fiordland for the annual Year 10 fishing camp. Pātea is the Ngāi Tahu name for this remote fiord which means ‘the place of silence’. Doubtful Sound boasts a diverse and abundant range of marine life and is home to one of the southernmost populations of bottlenose dolphins/terehu in the world. The majestic fiord has no direct road access and so is quieter and more remote than it’s famous northern neighbour, Piopiotahi/Milford Sound. From Trinity Catholic College, it takes about six hours to arrive at Deep Cove Hostel. Opened in 1980, this wonderful resource has been ‘home away from home’ for thousands of primary and secondary school students (and teachers) over the years from all over Otago and Southland.

The five-day camp is, yep you guessed it, all about fishing and features three in-house competitions that students can have a ‘cast’ at. The GOAT award (all-time most fish caught); The Golden Hook award (most fish caught on the camp) and The Moby Dick award (biggest fish) are all up for grabs (and bragging rights). From Monday 5pm when the competition began until Thursday 5pm when it fished, I mean finished, Ollie Muschamp was a man on a mission. Ollie caught an astonishing 118 fish and surpassed Oscar Ung’s 2022 record of 87 on the second day. Congratulations Ollie on making the 100 Club and for that stunning 56cm blue cod/rāwaru you caught too. Your record will be very hard to beat!

Fiordland is a wild place that can throw up all sorts of weather - and it certainly did. We had warm sunshine, gale force winds, heavy rain and everything in between. At times you just have to persevere and just get on with it and that’s exactly what our kids did. Rain or shine, fish were caught, mountains were climbed, waterfalls were visited, glow worms/titiwai and Tasman Sea admired, kiwi heard and the list goes on. The people and the place made this a special camp in which life-long memories were made. To our future Year 10 fisherwoman and fishermen, you will love the week you spend at Deep Cove. Thank you to our wonderful parents who assisted on camp - Susan Hickey, Sonja Jago, Geoff Waide and Richard Wild. Mr Chris Pickles and Mr Jean Allibone were absolutely outstanding and a heartfelt thank you on behalf of the group for your tireless work ethic, enthusiasm and dedication.

Nō reira, ka pu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi —

In closing, when the old net is cast, the new net goes fishing.

(This proverbial saying refers to the younger generation taking up the reigns left by their elders).