Family Adventure

Family Adventure

A memorable adventure was when we went to Motatapu Island with my family. Motatapu
is in the middle of the Hauraki gulf. Aly, Lara, Mama and me got a taxi and then a boat to
get to the island. We were going to the island because Aly was running the Dual Marathon
Trail Race.  Motatapu is a conservation island and The Dual is a fundraising event to help
raise money so the different birds on the island can be protected and the island can remain pest free.

The island is looked after by the department of conservation. When we arrived at the ferry
terminal there were many doc Rangers they're worth working dogs. The dogs were all trained
to smell different types of things. Some of the dog had the job of trying to smell if there was
any rodents hiding in our bags or camping gear. There were other dogs too but their job
wouldn't start until they got to the island.  they had been trained to smell out
kiwis so then the Rangers could tag and track the endangered birds on the island.

My favourite part of the adventure was the fact that we were camping on the island.
Even though it was very hard getting to the island because we had to carry everything
and it was so heavy. Plus we had to put our tent up in the dark and the only toilet a long
drop - yuck so smelly. Once we got into bed it was amazing listening to all of the different
bird calls it sounded like concert. I also loved how we got to eat 2 minute noodles for breakfast
that never happens at home.

Aly was running the race on Saturday and it was going to take her hours and hours so we had
to find something to do by ourselves. Mama had brought along my fishing rod. It turned out to be
the most unsuccessful fishing trip in history. On the very first cast our lure got stuck in the rocks
and our line snapped. On the 2nd cast out lure got caught in the seaweed, line snapped.
And on the 3rd cast the lure flew off the end of the line. Fishing over - zero fish caught. Just
as well we had the chocolate fish as a backup.

Celebrating all of the successful finishers on Saturday night was a good time.
There was a concert and food trucks. Lara and I made friends with other kids who also camping
. We got to have a hot chips and burger for dinner, I did wonder how the food trucks got on to the
island though. Lara and I played a funny game where we would roll ourselves up in the tarpaulin
and try and wriggle like worms to get out.