Scav Nav - November 2007
With thoughts of having fun and raising awareness and money for a good cause, The Mackay and District 4wd Club held a Pink Ribbon breakfast at the Harbour Park. This event was well attended by members and proceeds are to go The Cancer Council to provide support to the many women affected by breast cancer. The event was organised by Natalie and Kelvin Nayler and Debbie and Rob Couper, members of the club and great BBQ breakfast chefs.
With full bellies and their wits about them the club members were given instructions on the activities for the day, it was to be a Scav Nav, a chance to navigate your way about Mackay, pick up some small items hidden at various sites and finish up at a park with the expectation of a morning tea of cakes and slices, all pink of course.
Laughter and arguments abounded as drivers and navigators deciphered the clues, writing their answers down as they went. As each vehicle arrived at the check point, the occupants were amazed at the spread of sweet delights on offer. It was now time to mark the answers; with the organiser’s word being final this task was completed. Word of warning for anyone considering organising a navigation run, provide every participant with a colour chart or demand the only the basic colours be used as answers, green, teal, aqua seemly are all the same colour.
After another short Scav Nav the day wrapped up. One member summed it all up as she said this was a great change from my heavy work schedule.
The above is the official line on the day, here is the real story. The day start at the harbour with a delightful breakfast being cooked up by Deb & Rob, Nat was busy sorting out the juice, cereal, lolly count and the raffle and Kelvin as in tears because he wasn’t allowed to cook the BBQ his way. After a meal of bacon, eggs, beans and sausages everyone was happily well fed and content to listen to the instructions for the day. The Lolly count winner was announced and Past-President Neil had used his intellect to calculate the correct number. Well Done!
Each car was sent off with instructions and some good advice about watching the road rules. Then the fun really began, it can very frustrating being a passenger who can’t read in the car. Upon arrival in the lamberts Beach area, members frequently passed one another as they back tracked to find the answers to the clues.
The walk through the forest was enjoyable until we came to the end where Kelvin was sitting in the toilet block with the door opened. Unfortunately we couldn’t just pass him by; the next clue sheet had to be collected from him. With the job done, we head up the road some more. We were at our wits end trying to be faithful, and nearly thought about jumping a few clues ahead, until loyalty to the cause saw success.
With smoko and lunch all rolled into one only a few clues away, there was a mad dash up an incredibly steep hill. “I Think I Can, I think I can!” and we did, the view was great, but there were no pink balls. We left a knife and fork in the container for tail end Charlie, Terry, just so he wouldn’t feel “a loser!”
With everyone at the check point devouring yummy cakes, slices and biscuits, it was time to check the answers. With a little cunning on the part of the organisers the answer sheets were not returned to their owners, but distributed randomly. There was an eruption of disagreement from question 1 as Kelvin tried to keep a lid on proceedings with the new trip rule that the organiser is always correct and this didn’t abate until Rob became adjudicator (Kelvin passed the job over when the scientific names for the plants had to be read out, good work!) and then only rumblings and laughter.
There was one item that required an inquiry, which was on the number of speed bumps one had to travel over to get to the next turn off. Natalie quickly, without thought for her safety became the fall guy and took all responsibility for the error.
It was time to pack up and finish off the day with the last small “scav nav”. This included a small shopping trip at BCF for Wendy and Mick and a great drive to a park just up the road for Deb and Rob.
The raffle was drawn – Neil Barker took that prize away and after a great discussion on the different terms for the colour green, the Barkers were awarded as the Scav Nav Winners.
A big thank you to Rob & Deb, Nat & Kelvin and the two Mums that over saw proceedings as well. It must have been a lot of hard yakka and I can say it is much appreciated.