Gold Wolf Cubs learning about “Dangers in the Veld”
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/dangers-in-the-veld/
Cubs Rock!
Cubs Rock! Posters by two of the Cubs for their Drawing badge.
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Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/6575/
Senior Cub Adventure Camp
Every year we are invited to send our ten year old Cubs to a Senior Cub Adventure Camp run by the Western Cape region at our Hawequas campsite. This year we sent 5 Cubs and the camp was based on the Survivor TV series.
Well done to our Cubs who took part in this camp!
Also thanks to our Scouts who came along to help.
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Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/cubs/senior-cub-adventure-camp/
Rayner Trophy 2017
For the first time in many years we entered two teams into the Rayner Trophy, one experienced and one with no experience of Rayner.
The competition followed the Highlands Trail which proved beneficial we hiked the trail a few years ago and it was also done as a First Class hike a year or two ago. The competition followed the usual format but due to an error many patrols got lost early on in the competition which set them back by several hours and resulted in several bases being closed. However, even the leading patrols (1st Claremont A among them) only reached the overnight stop at Iona Farm after dark. 
Due to lateness, night bases were mostly cancelled (including two which would have required a swim in the dam) and activities ceased at 23h00. By this point it was clear that there were only 3 or so real contenders for the Trophy with our A team being one of them. Our B team however was keeping a good position in the hiking pack and did not seem unduly stressed.
Day 2 was an early start with judges leaving at 06h00 to hike the days route ahead of the patrols and the patrols leaving soon after. Day 2 was a long hike in conditions which turned hot. With time at a premium some bases were shut down after only 2 or 3 patrols had got through. By this point our A team was hiking out front but the other two contenders were hot on their heels. The competition finished at the Kleinmond Golf Club. The competition was won by 1st Bergvliet with our A team a close 2 points behind them, followed by 1st Monte Vista a mere 2 points behind us.
Our B team came an excellent 8th! No other troop 
placed two teams in the top ten so this was a superb result from both teams and underscores our commitment to producing fine scouts across the board rather than winning competitions at all costs. Well done to both teams on a Rayner that was the toughest in the last few years.
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/rayner-trophy-2017/
Happy Birthday 1st Claremont
1st Claremont is 109 years old today – the oldest Scout Group in South Africa! This is the first flag, flown in March 1908. The handwritten notes are by the first Scoutmaster, George French:
“White Ensign – 1st Flag flown by S.M. Scouts in March 1908 and at all subsequent standing camps and Trek Camps of 1st Claremont Troop. 1st Claremont Troop formed 3rd March 1908.
Some of the camps:
1st Weekend Camp – 20th March 1908, the weekend we passed the Tenderfoot tests
Cooking Tests in Cottons Farm 20th March 1908
1st Standing Holiday Camp – Harringay, Cape Flats, June & July 1908
Muizenberg
Hout Bay
South West Farms 250 miles
Karroo Tour 300 miles
More than 40 camps, besides service (war time) at Wynberg Camp during the Great War. 1st Claremont Troop marched more than 1000 miles during these years.
‘Wolf’ G French, Scoutmaster at 1st Claremont Troop 3rd March 1908 (registered 1909) to 1919.
Cyril J. French, Asst. SM 1908-1913″
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/history/happy-birthday-1st-claremont/
Awards for 2016
2016 was a good year at 1st Claremont. In the Star Awards, the Cub Pack achieved a Gold Star, the Troop achieved a Bronze Star, one Patrol achieved a Gold Star, and two achieved Silver. In the Tonkin Trophy, which ranks all the groups in the Western Cape, we came 7th overall. Well done everyone!
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/competitions-2/awards-for-2016/
The 2017 Scout Calendar
The 2017 Scout Calendar is available on the link below. Please note that not all events are reflected on the calendar and that it is likely to change as the year progresses.
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/2017-scout-calendar/
Our Cubs came 8th in the Edward Shield
Eleven of our Cubs took part in the Edward Shield on 29 October. This is an annual event for Cubs from all over the Western Cape, and this year we came 8th out of 27 teams, which is our best achievement in the 3 years since we started our Pack. The venue this year was the Oude Molen Eco Village. There were many different activities, including making drums, colouring the South African flag, knots, songs, making a model of the very first Scout camp (held on Brownsea Island in 1907), and making a banner celebrating the 100th birthday of Cubs.
Setting out for the Edward Shield competition
Building a diorama of the Brownsea Island Scout Camp
Displaying our “Cubs 100” banner
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Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/cubs/cubs-came-8th-edward-shield/
Our Explorer Scouts and the Scouts in America
As part of their Explorer Badge, our scouts are supposed to product a display which must be shown to the public. Usually this takes the form of a pioneering model or a poster, shown at the local library or in a shopping centre. Late last year we were approached by an American Scouter who wanted to exchange video clips of what scouting was like in the two countries. We agreed with the American Scouter that our Explorer Scouts (Michael, Emily and Daniel) would be responsible for producing the clip. We finally exchanged the clips in late March via YouTube. Michael, Emily and Daniel put in many hours of editing work to produce a high quality clip (approximately 3 full days of editing). They had a lot of fun while doing it but watching them at work, it was clear that there was a substantial amount of effort being put into editing, voiceovers and concepts. We are impressed with the quality of the final product and were interested to see the corresponding clip from America.
Our clip can be seen here and the clip from America can be seen here. All in all we think this was a great effort from scouts in both countries and definitely something a bit different from a local display.
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/1stclaremont-scouts/explorer-scouts-scouts-america/
Orienteering 2015
Liam Fieggen, Michael Knight, Tilman Oelgeschlager and Daniel LeJeune consult their map
For the first time in 3 years we entered the Regional Orienteering competition which this year was held at Century City. We entered 4 junior teams and 2 senior teams and were certainly one of the biggest troops present. The competition required, rather disappointingly, minimal map work and relied more on physical fitness than on the combination of map work, compass skills and physical fitness that usually characterises orienteering. Although the ability to work out the sequence of points to get to was a skill to be acquired, we would have liked to see more reliance on mapping and compasses. Be that as it may, our teams took part enthusiastically which was good to see. Our senior teams came 2nd in the senior division and overall we came 3rd. This is an excellent result which, if nothing else, shows that we have enthusiastic and committed scouts who are prepared to try out new scouting activities.
Permanent link to this article: https://1stclaremont.org.za/activities-2/orienteering/orienteeering-2015/
See the adventure…
