duke of edinburgh
Gold Award
Adventurous Journey Provider
Adventurous Journey
The Adventurous Journey section of the DoE Award aims to take young people out of their comfort zone within a safe and secure setting.
Working in a small group, all participants plan, train for and undertake a journey with a purpose, in an unfamiliar environment with training and supervision from the team at Adventure Specialties Trust!
Training & Practice
3 Days 2 Nights
Qualifier
4 Days 3 Nights
Exclusively for you!
This year we’re partnering with Saint Kentigern College to help their students to complete their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award through the pursuit of Sea Kayaking.
Join us for a combined Training Day and Practice Expedition then go on to a Qualifying Expedition to complete the Adventurous Journey section of your Gold DoE Award.
Training Day & Practice Expedition
Combined Training Day + Practice Expedition
3 days 2 nights
Training Day:
We’ll base ourselves in the Mahurangi Harbour for a day of learning how to kayak, what’s involved in an overnight trip, the necessary equipment and how to use it, some camp craft, navigation, route planning, basic first aid, risk assessment and safety skills; we’ll also go over your Training Booklet (see below for more info about the training booklet). This training day will give you the necessary base knowledge and appropriate skills to confidently undertake your Practice Journey in a safe and sufficient manner.
Practice Journey:
The next morning, if your Instructor is satisfied that you have the necessary knowledge and have mastered the skills to undertake the Practice Expedition, we’ll split into groups and plan our Practice Journey. The emphasis on these Practice Trips is that you will refine and add to your skills so you have the experience necessary to go into the Qualifying Expedition with a good sense of what is required to lead yourselves.
These Practice Expeditions will be based in and around the beautiful Mahurangi Harbour.
The weather forecast on the days will determine our route but we will aim to start and finish at Sullivans Bay; from here we have a number of options around a few coastal islands and the Mahurangi Harbour itself.
Pick which dates suit you!
Trip 1
Practice Expedition
Wed 27th – Fri 29th September 2023
Trip 2
PRACTICE Expedition
Sat 30th – Mon 2nd October 2023
* Please note minimum numbers are required for each trip to go ahead and registrations are on a first in first served basis
Both your registration and payment are required to secure your place.
Students Registered for Practice Trip 1
Trip 1 is FULL
| # | First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|---|
1 | * Adam | Thompson |
2 | * Aidan | Gould-Pretorius |
3 | * Alexander | Dunn |
4 | * Chloe | Dickinson |
5 | * Chloe | Miller |
6 | * Edward | Gravit |
7 | * Harry (Henry) | McNamara |
8 | * Henry | Lang |
9 | * Jaime | Chandler |
10 | * Jessie | Rankin-Mills |
11 | * Nathaniel | Rankin-Mills |
12 | * Sam | Worth |
13 | * Thomas | Pritchard |
14 | Bryn | Somervell |
15 | Chelsea | Beere |
16 | Toby | McLean |
Students Registered for Practice Trip 2
Trip 2 is FULL
| # | First Name | Last Name |
|---|---|---|
1 | * Abigail | Edgar |
2 | * Calla | Lane |
3 | * Charlotte | Riach |
4 | * Hannah | Tolken |
5 | * Imogen | Perry |
6 | * Louis | Cheftel |
7 | * Marissa | Jones |
8 | * Nicholas | Tolken |
9 | * Oliver | Walsh |
10 | * Samuel | Boyes |
11 | * Sienna | Williams |
12 | * Zahra | Abeysekera |
13 | *Maya | Brophy |
14 | Alex | Frewin |
15 | Charlotte | Higgins |
16 | Kyla | van Schaik |
17 | Samantha | Yonge |
What to Bring
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING
We will provide:
- Sea Kayaks (2 person / double seated)
- Sea Kayak Related Safety Equipment
- Tents (2 person)
- Basic Bed Rolls
- Mini 2 Person Cookers and Cooking Equipment
Don’t forget to download and bring your training booklet with you too!
Cost
$460
The full cost of the 3 day 2 night Practice Expedition is $460. This includes all specialist kayaking equipment, safety equipment and qualified and experienced instructors.
*An online stripe processing fee will be added at checkout
Cancellation Policy
20% of the total programme cost will be payable to confirm your booking.
If you cancel your booking within 60 days from the start date of a confirmed programme, the 20% deposit is non-refundable.
If you cancel your booking within 30 days from the start date of a confirmed programme, 50% of the total programme cost will be payable.
If you cancel your booking within 7 days from the start date of a confirmed programme, the full programme cost will be payable.
If we do not receive sufficient interest to confirm your programme dates then you will be given the option of transferring your booking to alternative dates or a refund in full. If a confirmed programme is postponed by Adventure Specialties Trust due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, your booking deposit will be transferred to the postponed dates. If you cannot attend these new dates you will need to inform AST within 7 days of the announcement of the new programme dates, upon which a full refund will be offered to you. Adventure Specialties Trust reserves the right to waive this policy on a case by case basis.
Training Booklet
This training booklet is designed to introduce you to the types of information that need to be gathered to plan and prepare a Sea Kayak Expedition. The tasks will give you an overview of Sea Kayaking history, development, safety equipment, and related gear. You will also research and learn about weather forecasts, encountering wildlife, kayak friendly meals, and the Leave No Trace philosophy for NZ Outdoors.
We can’t take you on the Practice Expedition without evidence of training. That evidence is provided by this training booklet and the Training Day. During the Practice Expedition we will check in with each of you about the booklet, whether you’ve done it or not and any questions you might have; then we will set aside time to go over the Training Booklet together as a group and sign it off.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR TRAINING BOOKLET
This booklet needs to be brought with you on your Practice Expedition so it can be signed off by our qualified and experienced staff; then you must submit it to your DoE Coordinator at school.
Meeting Times / Locations
On day one of your trip please meet us at the Sullivan’s Bay at the carpark beside the Information Kiosk/Toilets at 8:30am.
We will be back there on day three by 3.00pm.
Make sure you bring everything on the gear list including food, medication and your completed training booklet. If you have items (tents/cookers etc) that Adventure Specialties Trust is providing and would rather use your own feel free to bring them along and get them checked for safety and suitability by your instructor at the boat ramp before you leave.
qualifier Expeditions
Qualifier Expeditions
4 days 3 nights
LET’S PUT IT ALL TOGETHER!
Now that you’ve been taught some basic sea kayaking skills in your Training Day, have done some research and planning in your Training Booklet and had a chance to enhance those skills during your Practice Expedition it’s time to take ownership of YOUR JOURNEY and plan your Qualifying Expedition.
You need to get together with the other students on your Qualifier Expedition and work together to design one route plan (and a bad weather plan B) for the Hauraki Gulf – much like you did in your Training Booklet for the planning assignment, except this time, collaboratively. Remember to take into account the DoE Gold Expedition requirements for Adventurous Journey’s e.g. hours of purposeful effort, hours spent journeying for expeditions etc. You can find all the DoE requirements in the DoE International Handbook (Chapter 8 Adventurous Journey pg 76-102) on their website. You will also need to think about, plan and organise your own menu/food.
Pick which dates suit you!
* Please note minimum numbers are required for each trip to go ahead and registrations are on a first in first served basis
Both your registration and payment are required to secure your place
Students Registered for Qualifier Trip 1
Mon 11th – Thurs 14th December 2023
(Group of 16 max)
(these are the people you need to plan your qualifier with)
# First Name Last Name
Students Registered for qualifier Trip 2
Sat 16th – Tues 19th December 2023
(Group of 16 max)
(these are the people you need to plan your qualifier with)
Get together and plan your qualifier
- You need to plan:
- Route Plan A for Hauraki Gulf
- Back up Route Plan B in case of bad weather
- Start/finish meeting times and locations (start and finish at the same place/design a circular route)
- Your meals/food
- Which campsites we need to book for you
NEXT
- Let us know your plan
- At two weeks before your trip leaves you need to submit your intended plan
- Email anita@adventurespecialties.co.nz
- With Route Plan A & B, meeting times, start/finish locations, campsite bookings
What to Bring on your Qualifier
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING
We will provide:
- Sea Kayaks (2 person / double seated)
- Sea Kayak Related Safety Equipment
- Tents (2 person)
- Basic Bed Rolls
- Mini 2 Person Cookers and Cooking Equipment
- Maps of the Hauraki Gulf
Qualifier Cost
$690
The full cost of the 4 day 3 night Qualifier Expedition is $690. This includes all specialist kayaking equipment, safety equipment and our Adventurous Journey Assessors who will assess you to Gold DoE standards.
*An online stripe processing fee will be added at checkout
Cancellation Policy
20% of the total programme cost will be payable to confirm your booking.
If you cancel your booking within 60 days from the start date of a confirmed programme, the 20% deposit is non-refundable.
If you cancel your booking within 30 days from the start date of a confirmed programme, 50% of the total programme cost will be payable.
If you cancel your booking within 7 days from the start date of a confirmed programme, the full programme cost will be payable.
If we do not receive sufficient interest to confirm your programme dates then you will be given the option of transferring your booking to alternative dates or a refund in full. If a confirmed programme is postponed by Adventure Specialties Trust due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances, your booking deposit will be transferred to the postponed dates. If you cannot attend these new dates you will need to inform AST within 7 days of the announcement of the new programme dates, upon which a full refund will be offered to you. Adventure Specialties Trust reserves the right to waive this policy on a case by case basis.
Meeting Times / Locations
You tell us!
Part of the DoE programme is being responsible for your own learning.
It’s handy to set up a phone tree or group chat with all the parents/caregivers in your Qualifier Trip in case your plans change and you need to be picked up from somewhere different.
Feel free to download and use our route plan template
Helpful hint
Need help or want more information?
Phone: (09) 837 6033 ask for Jeff or Anita
Email: anita@adventurespecialties.co.nz
jeff@adventurespecialties.co.nz