Outward Bound was such a unique experience; I am struggling to do it justice with words. It is so
much more than going tramping, kayaking, sailing, rock climbing and running etc. It is a truly once in
a lifetime opportunity, and to be fully explained, it should be experienced. It was the memories I
made, along with the lessons I learnt which made my Outward Bound experience so special.
My favourite activity at Outward Bound was the sea scheme. I learnt the fundamentals of sailing,
slept on the floor of our boat, saw dolphins, visited Ship Cove – where Captain Cook first landed,
kept watch over our boat from land at 2am, experienced the value of ultimate team work and
communication and lastly the highlight of my whole course – swum with the phosphorescence at
night, all while soaking up the beauty which is the Queen Charlotte Sound.
Outward Bound has changed the way I live my life, without a doubt. It has taught me that things are
never as hard as they seem, such as waiting upside down in a kayak while your friend comes to roll
you back up, or climbing almost vertically up a hill when your calves are screaming at you. It all
comes down to the way you approach it. I now have a strong belief that motivation is a state of
mind, and am using this to be more motivated in my approach to everything I do in my life. It has
changed my sleeping patterns, the way I fuel my body and my commitment to daily exercise.
Outward Bound is based off the principle ‘Plus est en vous’ which translates to ‘there is more in you’.
There were points in Outward Bound where I felt I had reached my limit, and somehow I pushed
through, carried on and found a way to get to the end and it truly did open my eyes to how much I
can do, and how far I really can go. Gutsing my way up that hill, rock climbing with a blindfold on and
rowing our sailboat. It made the feeling of success that much sweeter, and especially when I looked
around and the others in my group had the same pain etched on their face, but had the same
feelings of achievement as I did.
I did some crazy things over my three weeks, but I would go back again in a heartbeat and I cannot
encourage everyone enough, that they should go an Outward Bound course. I had the best time, and
I made two lifelong best friends along the way, one who lives in Southland, and another who lives in
Wellington. I started my journey with 13 strangers, I spent 21 sleeping rough, getting wet, losing skin
and everything in between. I sailed away from Anakiwa with a family that stretches the length of
New Zealand.
I am beyond grateful to First Foundation and the John Hebron Fund, for providing me with the
support to go on Outward Bound. I was funded not just for the practical course, but for an entire
experience, which cannot be covered solely in monetary value. It is for this that I am truly indebted
to both these organisations for.
“We are all better than we know, if only we can come to discover this we may never again settle for
less.” –Kurt Hahn, Outward Bound Founder.
-Danica MacLean, Class of 2010, Rutherford Watch C590.