Survival Mission

red_bairn · 28-08-2006 12:36am #1

My friends and I are doing a 36hr challenge on Tuesday morning to Wednesday night. Small challenge but dangerous none the less. We are going into the valley around the Glencree area.
There is gonna be at least 3-4 groups with 2 per team. Each person is allowed to have to items excluding a sleeping bag. We cannot bring any device that will create fire (i.e, lighter) therefore have to use basic survival skills. We must get our own source of food/water from the area. We must build our own shelter. Once we get on the bus from Bray nobody is allowed to drink/eat anything until we have reached our destination of the mission.

Anybody have any advice please don't hesitate to inform me before !

\m/_(>_<)_\m/ · 28-08-2006 9:38am

dont do it!

Alun · 28-08-2006 9:41am

I'll get on to my friends in the DWMRT (http://www.dwmrt.ie/) and let them know their services might be needed this week.

Evil Phil · 28-08-2006 10:26am

Is this an organised event of just a bunch of mates heading off into the hills un-equiped? If its an orgainsed event who's running it? Check the weather, Will it be wet (and it probably will be) or cold? Sleeping without tents or even sleeping bags invites hypothermia. Can you recognise hypothermia? Will they have a medical team standing by? How are the orgainisers guaranteeing your safety?

If it's not an orgainsed event wtf?

At the very least have a least one big tent with supplies, warm clothes, sleeping bags and room for everybody. If the weather gets bad at two o'clock on the morning and you're not sure of what to do then you are all in a very serious situation. Bring mobile phones, you'll need them to contact the DWMRT should (when!) you need them. Inform the DWMRT of what you are doing and listen to their advice.

Again, have you checked the weather? -> http://ukie.accuweather.com/adcbin/ukie/ukie_forecast_mountain.asp?site=IEWIOL;Wicklow%20Mountains&postalcode=&partner=Accuweather&whend=2&metric=1
Going to be chilly at 6am

If this post seems a little over zealous its because I'm concerned that 24hours before this survival challenge starts you're on the internet asking for advice.

loz · 28-08-2006 10:34am

red_bairn wrote:

Each person is allowed to have to items excluding a sleeping bag. We cannot bring any device that will create fire (i.e, lighter) therefore have to use basic survival skills. We must get our own source of food/water from the area. We must build our own shelter.

Take a tarp or similar and some cord, nylon rope, knife, camping axe if you have one to assist in the shelter building, some tarp and cord will also build a half decent hammock ( fold tarp - and tie the ends rather than cutting into ( i e making loop/buttons holes - these will just rip, - ensure you keep off the ground ( are you allowed a sleeping mat ? )

cant bring any device that can create fire assume this incude tinderboxes and firesticks, flint strikers etc- unless your skilled, and practiced - your f*cked,

its gonna rain - theres water - food - hmmm - your any tracking/trapping skills ?

dress in layers, also dress down when active, dress up when still. windproof outer layers, thermal inner layer. Dont cotton against body - you'll sweat and then get cold

as per Phils above - have some contingency.................

Evil Phil · 28-08-2006 10:43am

loz wrote:

your f*cked

Yes, yes you are.

Alun · 28-08-2006 10:46am

I agree with Phil. Unless this an organised event, you're just asking for trouble. 36 hours in the wet and cold with nothing to eat or drink = hypothermia.

Also for a good Met Eireann sourced weather forecast specific to the Wicklow Mountains with useful information about cloud levels and visibility try here :-

http://www.computersupport.ie/weather/latest.html

(BTW Don't worry about the odd looking URL, it's a link from here http://www.dwmrt.ie/html/weather.php and I think the guy who maintains the DWMRT website and downloads and updates the weather info from Met Eireann uplaods it there out of convenience.)

Evil Phil · 28-08-2006 11:12am

Nice link Alun, I've added it to the Useful Links sticky

sonic juice · 28-08-2006 10:19pm

red_bairn wrote:

My friends and I are doing a 36hr challenge on Tuesday morning to Wednesday night. Small challenge but dangerous none the less. We are going into the valley around the Glencree area.
There is gonna be at least 3-4 groups with 2 per team. Each person is allowed to have to items excluding a sleeping bag. We cannot bring any device that will create fire (i.e, lighter) therefore have to use basic survival skills. We must get our own source of food/water from the area. We must build our own shelter. Once we get on the bus from Bray nobody is allowed to drink/eat anything until we have reached our destination of the mission.

Anybody have any advice please don't hesitate to inform me before !

hey why not make it a week or two-36 hours seems a bit easy,anyone can do that.good look anyway bro.

red_bairn · 28-08-2006 10:25pm

Hey are you not concerned for my friends and my own life sonicjuice? :eek:

sonic juice · 28-08-2006 10:34pm

red_bairn wrote:

Hey are you not concerned for my friends and my own life sonicjuice? :eek:

even though I do not know u personally,I do wish u all the luck in the world {ha ha},but i feel ur ego needs a little catering,maybe a nice pie or some wild blueberries?and the points made were very negative so i cheer u guys on!!!!not like the rest of those mundane sheep...let the forests devour ur hearts and let the baby elephants trample on your toes-Oh I wish i was going too.

johnny_ultimate · 28-08-2006 10:35pm

Id say it would be a better option to be the cameraman who gets to go home at night to a nice warm bed. AHh.. Oh wait, that's me!

red_bairn · 28-08-2006 10:40pm

Sonic Juice

I wish you were coming in spirit too but your mind seems warped anyway and highly dangerous.

johnny_ultimate

Ah...well there is a camera woman but she's not sleeping in a house. She is camping in the woods and is one of the judges.

casanova_kid · 28-08-2006 10:44pm

This is the most stupidest ****ing idea i've ever heard. You're gonna get destroyed.

sonic juice · 28-08-2006 10:45pm

well if im there in spirit that is very satifactory,as to u mister camera zane-I shall hope u capture it well and post in on the net!

vigos · 02-09-2006 5:43pm

so how did this work out in the end?

red_bairn · 02-09-2006 7:24pm

Well it wasn't too bad in the end. The feat mainly lasted till about 9 the next day. We were quite exhausted obviously.

Tues 29th

9.30- Feat started. No food or drink was allowed to be taken.
9.45- Bus taken to Shop River.
10.15- Reached last stop.

(after getting off the bus we trekked towards our destination. We even stopped all the way and grabbed a few blackberries and Phil was getting the urge to drink the pools of water on the road...aah only messin'!)

12ish- Reached our area to start our feat.
- Judges (Shauna and Liz) and cameraman checked our stuff to ensure we were not carrying any items against the rules.
- Feat offically started at around 12.15. All groups split up to find an area to create shelter. (The judges tent was on one side of the river. We had to cross the river and start our feat there)

12.30- Found area to create shelter with Nathan. (Beside river. Against a bank.)

- After was checking out any other areas that may be better for shelter. Deer spotted by Nathan. I attempt to catch fawn. They seem to have changes direction as I tried to cut them off with my lanky legs.

1ish-5pm- Creation of Shelter. I first laid 3 10ft long branches from the edge of the bank to the ground. Then branches across those. Tied them together with rope nathan found from a previous camp area nearby. I then cut down branches from fir trees to cover the criss-cross branches. These fir branches act as the main cover and insulate the shelter. I also put a few of theses branches on the ground inside the shelter to ensure the ground is comfortable).

Evening- Left stuff with shelter. We were allowed to bring a sleeping bag in the end

thank god. Nathan was pissed off earlier about the feat. Actual he was bored by 3 and wanted to go home. I informed him that he would not be staying within our shelter. One team had found that their shelter had collapsed due to poor structure. I saw Phils shelter. It was in a good area of fir trees. The wind would not get at his. But overall it wasnt structurally great.

Late Evening- Others arrived earlier. 3 crates were at the judges tent. 2 of the people who had the shelter whcih collapsed were drinking. "Black" and "Pony". The person who brought the supplies also brought a tent, of which, the lads would be staying in. They failed at the shelter task but were still doing well with the food challenge. The beer wouldn't help! :rolleyes:

8.30- I was exhausted from the days work. I didn't talk much. I had been drinkin' river water all day, smelled really bad and ate blackberries. Phil points out some nettles near me while we were sitting and chatting to ppl at the judges tent (across the river from the challenge area). There was a fire on and I decided to make nettle soup with the use of a pan Nathan had found earlier. I used my flask to collect the nettles in it.

9.00- Left the whole group to cross river. It was getting dark and I had no source of light. I needed to cross asap. i felt a bit better with the nettle soup in me.

10ish?- Phil and Nathan wander by the shelter to see if I am okay. I was really groggy. Phil informs me that he would not be using his shelter. He asks if any room in mine.

11ish?- Wondering where the boys go I think that there might be some trouble but cannot attempt to go outside with no light.

12.30- Judges (Girls & new judge Dave-"Daddio"-moderator of jazz in boards.ie) come by to ensure I'm okay and ask if i want to come back to their tent. I come with them and when Liz says "hey I think thats the way over there"-I jump down and fall in river-And hurry out really fast-Only get up to ankles wet.
- I return with them safely to the tent. Nathan and Phil ended up sleeping in the judges tent. I would have to spend the rest of the night with 5 other ppl in a 2/3 man tent. (****!

)

1ish- Get first bit of proper food since 15 and half hours...I was starvin'. They said I basically won due to me sleeping in the shelter.

Sleep was uncomfortable. The next day we set off around 10ish and walk all the way back to the bus stop exhausted. Even the judges were exhausted from the walk and they had plenty of food. Overall it was a great feat but I would rather have had a lighter, one choice of food and a torch for comfort.

sonic juice · 06-09-2006 5:57pm

so you didnt last the 2 days,i taught u wud have had more mettle in ur stomachs,oh well at least nobody died i suppose

:eek:

:mad:

:rolleyes:

Moonbeam · 11-09-2006 11:56am

hahahaha

I wouldn't exactly call that a survival mission,and the dramatics are amusing.

sonic juice · 27-09-2006 10:44pm

:D

:eek:

[PHP]http://dfsfgrg[/PHP]

Evil Phil · 28-09-2006 11:48am

sonic juice banned for a week. Being stupid is not against the rules but posts like that last one are.

Alice Junge · 23-03-2008 2:27pm

crikey

c-90 · 23-03-2008 10:42pm

red_bairn wrote: »

Well it wasn't too bad in the end. The feat mainly lasted till about 9 the next day. We were quite exhausted obviously.

Tues 29th

9.30- Feat started. No food or drink was allowed to be taken.
9.45- Bus taken to Shop River.
10.15- Reached last stop.

(after getting off the bus we trekked towards our destination. We even stopped all the way and grabbed a few blackberries and Phil was getting the urge to drink the pools of water on the road...aah only messin'!)

12ish- Reached our area to start our feat.
- Judges (Shauna and Liz) and cameraman checked our stuff to ensure we were not carrying any items against the rules.
- Feat offically started at around 12.15. All groups split up to find an area to create shelter. (The judges tent was on one side of the river. We had to cross the river and start our feat there)

12.30- Found area to create shelter with Nathan. (Beside river. Against a bank.)

- After was checking out any other areas that may be better for shelter. Deer spotted by Nathan. I attempt to catch fawn. They seem to have changes direction as I tried to cut them off with my lanky legs.

1ish-5pm- Creation of Shelter. I first laid 3 10ft long branches from the edge of the bank to the ground. Then branches across those. Tied them together with rope nathan found from a previous camp area nearby. I then cut down branches from fir trees to cover the criss-cross branches. These fir branches act as the main cover and insulate the shelter. I also put a few of theses branches on the ground inside the shelter to ensure the ground is comfortable).

Evening- Left stuff with shelter. We were allowed to bring a sleeping bag in the end thank god. Nathan was pissed off earlier about the feat. Actual he was bored by 3 and wanted to go home. I informed him that he would not be staying within our shelter. One team had found that their shelter had collapsed due to poor structure. I saw Phils shelter. It was in a good area of fir trees. The wind would not get at his. But overall it wasnt structurally great.

Late Evening- Others arrived earlier. 3 crates were at the judges tent. 2 of the people who had the shelter whcih collapsed were drinking. "Black" and "Pony". The person who brought the supplies also brought a tent, of which, the lads would be staying in. They failed at the shelter task but were still doing well with the food challenge. The beer wouldn't help! :rolleyes:

8.30- I was exhausted from the days work. I didn't talk much. I had been drinkin' river water all day, smelled really bad and ate blackberries. Phil points out some nettles near me while we were sitting and chatting to ppl at the judges tent (across the river from the challenge area). There was a fire on and I decided to make nettle soup with the use of a pan Nathan had found earlier. I used my flask to collect the nettles in it.

9.00- Left the whole group to cross river. It was getting dark and I had no source of light. I needed to cross asap. i felt a bit better with the nettle soup in me.

10ish?- Phil and Nathan wander by the shelter to see if I am okay. I was really groggy. Phil informs me that he would not be using his shelter. He asks if any room in mine.

11ish?- Wondering where the boys go I think that there might be some trouble but cannot attempt to go outside with no light.

12.30- Judges (Girls & new judge Dave-"Daddio"-moderator of jazz in boards.ie) come by to ensure I'm okay and ask if i want to come back to their tent. I come with them and when Liz says "hey I think thats the way over there"-I jump down and fall in river-And hurry out really fast-Only get up to ankles wet.
- I return with them safely to the tent. Nathan and Phil ended up sleeping in the judges tent. I would have to spend the rest of the night with 5 other ppl in a 2/3 man tent. (****! )

1ish- Get first bit of proper food since 15 and half hours...I was starvin'. They said I basically won due to me sleeping in the shelter.

Sleep was uncomfortable. The next day we set off around 10ish and walk all the way back to the bus stop exhausted. Even the judges were exhausted from the walk and they had plenty of food. Overall it was a great feat but I would rather have had a lighter, one choice of food and a torch for comfort.

fair play to you if that was your first time but it sounds a bit nieve (spelling) unless you have a lot of experiance you not gona be able to survive with out the basics (basha, hexi stove,lighter,saw and mess tin + ration pack)

Evil Phil · 25-03-2008 10:15am

This event occured 18 months ago C-90.

c-90 · 25-03-2008 12:42pm

o right, im bit slow on the up take 18 months slow, this board is a bit quit ehh

Alice Junge · 04-04-2008 3:49am

red_bairn are you alive?

Survival Mission

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