For three weeks they went without phones, pushed themselves mentally and physically, starved on rations and made friends with nature — all with a group of people who became like family.
Tolaga Bay Area School students Rewi Castle and Harlem Whitehead, both 16, attended a 21-day Outward Bound course in Anakiwa.
They got home a couple of weeks ago and their parents immediately noticed a change in their sons.
Rewi said he appreciated his parents more after the experience, and reflected how he used to sit and watch them do everything.
“It made me miss home. My dad said he noticed I was taller and skinnier.”
Harlem said his dad had also noticed a difference since he returned.
“I matured quite a lot over three weeks. I showed leadership towards my younger brother.”
For those three weeks by the shores of the Marlborough Sounds, the young men got up early every day to hike, sail, kayak or take part in other challenges like the solo expedition — two nights alone in the bush.
Rations for solo camp were a pack of scroggin, a carrot, two apples and two gluten-free biscuits.
“I basically starved myself for two nights,” said Rewi.
“I ate almost all of it in one day,” said Harlem, who added the majority of them made friends with a tree during the experience.
“. . . or a rock, a stick or bug,” said Rewi.
Their humour and attitude stand out. They were also the two who every night picked up guitars and lead the group in songs ranging from Te Aho Mai Ra to Tennessee Whiskey.
Harlem said the silence during the solo challenge was hard because he wasn’t used to it.
“There’s usually always someone talking. But I liked it.”
They found it a mind, body and soul experience and said it was an emotional homecoming when they got back.
They learned how to use equipment properly and how to tie special knots for on board the Outward Bound sail ship.
“There was this knot called the thief knot, which looked like a normal reef knot, but it wasn’t,” said Harlem.
They learned how to jump into the water in an emergency situation, “like Superman” said Rewi, with one arm outstretched.
Harlem said they had awesome tutors.
Integrity played a big part of their learning. He bought a book of quotes and inspirational stories published by Outward Bound when he left. Two in particular stood out for him. One was, “Integrity is telling myself the truth. Honesty is telling the truth to others.”
And the other one, which he read out while the group was finding a rock climb challenge hard was, “Everyone wants happiness, no one wants pain. But you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain.”
Words Rewi would tell himself during hard patches included, “push yourself through, pain is my best friend. Fear is my enemy”.
“What we got taught was there is no excuse to miss an opportunity, because it is the only opportunity you are going to get,
“Take the opportunity,” said Harlem.
Harlem and Rewi wanted to thank Outward Bound for the opportunity, and especially, “Uncle Kev and Aunty Caitlyn”.
“They were like our parents for those three weeks,” said Harlem.
They also thanked Tolaga Bay Area School’s Koka Nori Parata (school principal), Koka Cynthia Sidney, Matua Richard Tuhaka and the Sunrise Foundation.
The three-week course costs around $4000. On top of that is the gear needed which can cost a few thousand more.
Rewi and Harlem were part of a group of 14 from the East Coast from Gisborne to Hicks Bay, many of whom were sponsored into being able to attend.
Outward Bound and the Sunrise Foundation helped Rewi and Harlem with the opportunity.
After high school Harlem wants to study engineering at university, and Rewi will pursue his childhood dream to be in the police force.