Camas Expeditions on The Isle of Mull The Expedition story The plan; take 6 boys from different schemes in Glasgow on expedition and walk for 1½ days heading from the Glenmore pass car park down the valley towards Loch Buie, then along the remote coastal path to Carsaig. There we would be picked up by the beautiful Birthe Marie wooden fishing yacht, skippered by Mark Jardine. From here we would continue our journey by sailing boat around the Ross of Mull, visit stunning white sandy beaches, climbing crags and the rocky shore of Ulva. We would finish at Fionnphort pier, just in time to jump on the coach home. 4 days in total. The staff running this expedition had all at some point worked at Camas over the past 30 years, Mark in the 80 s, Neil in the 90 s and Avril in the present day. This really helped when trying to bring the sense of community that our guests feel at Camas to the expedition experience. Community is key to the work Camas is trying to do. There is so much that can be gained from this community approach; building confidence through the supportive atmosphere it can create. The group arrived at the starting point. On a clear day the view down the valley is spectacular, looking over the 3 lochs. I had wanted it to be clear to inspire the 6 lads on their journey. But it had just started raining and the mist was coming down. Fortunately spirits were high despite the weather with a mix of excitement and anticipation. Neil had met with the group previously in Glasgow to go over some expedition prep; packing, food, appropriate clothing, etc. As a result when they jumped off the bus we were pretty much ready to go, just a little bit of extra kit water proofing was needed. At this point everyone was raring to go, but it s important that everyone sets off with an understanding of the aims of the expedition. Not just where we are heading but what is expected of us, our behaviour and attitude to what we are about to do. Are we going to move forward positively? From the Camas perspective in order to build community we need to respect ourselves and others around us. On expedition respecting our equipment is also essential to keep our selves safe, enabling us to complete the planned journey. So we got into a team huddle set
out some group objectives to help us achieve our aims and then headed off in to the mist. For most of the team it was the 1 st time carrying an exped rucksack and for some of the younger lads the walking was quite hard going. The group were split into pairs (1 older 1 younger) the elder acting as a mentor for his partner. The young people took their roles seriously, offering support and guidance when needed. The pace was great with only a few stops for snacks and the occasional refusal to move which was handled by the team really well. With such a supportive atmosphere everyone was encouraged to keep going to our 1 st camp site. When we got through the rough terrain and met the smooth path, there was a sense of elation among the group knowing camp was near. Quote of the day had to be when one member said I feel successful. For the last 100 metres some of the mentors helped their partners with their bags. Getting into camp is when the routine of your day starts to build. For the next 3 days cooking meals, pitching tents, drying kit, washing pans all need to happen. One thing we do at Camas is share in common tasks; this is also true of time on Expedition. On the 1 st night 2 of the boys were taught how to pitch a tent, with the knowledge that tomorrow they would in turn have to teach 2 others how to pitch their tent. While this was happening 2 cooking teams were formed 2 boys in each working with staff members. For some of the group this was the 1 st time they had ever cooked. It was a bit wet and a bit midgy so after eating and clearing up people were swift to get into to tents, knowing that in the morning we still had a good amount of walking to do before we met up with Mark. Journeying makes you think about your resources so in the morning we supported young people in some more dry kit preservation as the rain still hadn t lifted. We were working on a helping you to help yourself culture. This meant that the young people felt supported and cared for thus building trust in our mini community. At the same time they are given the opportunity to take what they have learnt, starting to do things for themselves, this is where confidence can start to grow. All packed and ready to go we added the next section of our routine, Reflection. Reflections happen every morning and evening at Camas and this was also the case on expedition. Onward with the day, we started to walk. The pace was great and the thought of the Birthe Marie waiting for us at Carsaig was keeping morale high. Walking alongside each other gives you the time to chat and get to know one another. The group were really starting to form. There was a point on the path where the terrain got rough and hard to pick out. Mentors were really looking out for their partners here, but at time tiredness and uneven ground caused some to get disheartened. There is always the time on an expedition when you realise that it s really hard but only option is to keep on going. At this point people show themselves what they are really capable of. They delve inside themselves and look for the support around them, get up and move forward. It s these times when journeying acts as a great metaphor for one s personal life journey. About half way to Carsaig the sky cleared and we were able to take in the view. However it was still slow going. But everyone was helping each other, sharing kit, offering support. The sense of achievement that came we saw the boat and headed down the pier was amazing. Everyone was so proud of themselves. With a short breather, the logistics of how to get 12 people and kit on to the
boat with a small dingy were sorted. Everyone was excited to be resting their legs and the challenge of the sea and learning a new skill was to come. The wind was low, so the sail s were down. Mark taught some of the boys how to steer and the others enjoyed the view of the Carsaig Arches having a well deserved sit down. Everyone was keen to fish but as sea sickness was apparent among the crew we headed to our 2 nd camp spot (Eilean Dubh). White sands and clear waters, it was beautiful, and dry which was much appreciated after last night. Kit drying lines set up, our budding tent experts taught 2 more boys how to pitch with a little support. Then they joined a cooking team and got that new skill in the bag. Others went to help with collecting wood for the fire. With onesies on and the fire going we reflected on how far we had come over the past 2 days. It already seemed like an epic journey, 2 more days of fun and challenge to come. The expedition routine was now in full swing; everyone up in the morning, some people getting breakfast ready and some packing away tents. It was amazing to see how boys that were needing support with a lot of things on the 1 st day were packed, ready to go and with a smile on their face. With sometime spent reflecting on what each of us bring to the group we were ready for the next challenge. This morning we were having a little break from the boat and going rock climbing just around the corner from our camp site. Rock climbing up was really challenging for some, trusting the rope to descend even more so. But, having done it once, confidence was established and the doubters were up and down the crag like mountain squirrels. Working together, some great leadership was coming through and bonds between us becoming stronger.
After lunch we made it back on the Birthe Marie and gave sailing up the Sound of Iona a bash. The plea for fishing continued so we stopped for a while and Mark gave us a demo on line fishing. Before he could explain fully he had a bite and pulled out 3 mackerel. Unfortunately the rest of us weren t so lucky. After some time we gave up and continued on to our final camp site; Ulva. Routine went into action and tent apprentices learnt the ropes, some a little more keen than others. A feast was prepared and we enjoyed the catch of the day. Lessons continued in washing up and spirits were high on the whole. Journeying however can bring things up for people that when at home can be pushed down. For some members tiredness and having to look at our own actions was proving tough. But the bonds that had been built over the past few days were able to reach out. It s not easy sharing a tent, common tasks, a small boat, and 24 hours a day together but the satisfaction of coming out the other side though makes it all worth it. On the last morning people were slow to rise, it had been a long few days. There had been a small mix up with the forward thinking of the final breakfast and it appeared that custard pots and coco pops were being served. After every good sugar rush there a sugar low, luckily we had time to reflect, get had packed up and on the boat before the crash. As we headed for a visit to Fingals Cave, Staffa appeared out of nowhere from the mist. After a good bit of awe and wonderment we made our way to the Bull Hole (Just round the corner from Fionnphort). Safely attached to Mark s mooring we took a bit of time to look back over our journey together. A map showing our complete trip was set out in front of the group. We looked at what we had achieved, these shared experiences that had happened. In turn we said what had been hard, what we had learnt and what we would be taking away with us. The honesty that came was incredible. One of the younger members of the team said previously he had been scared of the older boys when they have been at home on their scheme, but now they said they felt more like they have a big brother. At the end each member was given a limpet shell necklace to keep as a memory of all they had shared together. At the pier it was hugs and smiles all round, everyone had a look of pride from their accomplishment. Onesies were donned for a sleepy journey home. They had 6 hours ahead to reflect on the last 4 days and the community they had built and here taking back.