SLT Catfish Fishing & Senior Camp
We started our recent senior camp with some community work, helping out local legend, Shirley Potter. The students loved having a tour around this incredible restoration project in Tauranga - Taupō. They marvelled at the scale of the project and then helped clear this year's planting site. It was magical to finish with lunch by the river, under the shade of the trees that Shirley has freed from weeds, being sung to by pōpokotea, tūī, riroriro, and pīwakawaka. We even had a kererū watching over us as we watched a mother pōpokotea feeding her baby. Thanks Project Tongariro for this awesome experience.
Meanwhile the Year 5 to 6 Student Leaders had a great day out exploring their backyard. They took a walk down the Tongariro River, enjoying its beauty and learning about why the river health is so important to the whole ecosystem from the freshwater macro invertebrates that live in the water to the whio that eat them.
After the year 5 and 6 Student Leadership walk along the Tongariro River, they spent some time at the Tokaanu Boat Ramp fishing. In between untangling birds' nests and rescuing hats from the lake, they were able to rid the lake of a few catfish that muddy up the waters preventing our native freshwater animals to have the fresh, clean, and clear water they need to thrive. Thank you all the parents that supported the trip, driving, bringing afternoon tea, and sharing your passion for the environment to our students. Also thank you to all the supporting community that made the trip possible.
Once the Year 5 & 6 Students headed back home, the seniors went for a night walk - we love night walks! The forest comes alive at night and looks completely different with a head torch narrowing our focus. As we went into the Lake Rotopounamu track the dusk bird chorus was deafening, then the moon appeared over the lake and the torches went on. Suddenly, huge spiders, wētā, millipedes, and other bugs appeared and fungi glowed under our torch light.
We stayed the night at the Tokaanu Boathouse and the kids rolled out of bed, grabbed their rods and got straight into fishing as the sun rose. Twenty five invasive catfish were removed from the lake and turned into lunch!
Our Senior Student Leaders were very lucky to stay at Te Whare Waka - Tokaanu Water Sports Centre, and have the use of kayaks and paddleboards. They loved being able to go catfish fishing off the wharf and then go for a kayak to see the water from a different perspective. We had many interesting discussions about lake weed, and how some invasive species were introduced by people emptying aquariums into the lake. The tamariki could see the way that weed in the water could be invasive and smothering, just like weeds on land. Thank you so much to Tokaanu Maritime Charitable Trust for providing this amazing facility for the local community.
