Adventurous Journey - Helpful Information (Preliminary Training)

Common Training Syllabus for all Gold Expeditions, Explorations or Other Adventurous Projects on Land or Water.

Safety and Emergency Procedures

• Choosing suitable clothing, footwear and emergency equipment and knowing how to use it.
• Expedition fitness.
• Skills associated with the mode of travel.
• Keeping together.
• Telling people where you are going – route card.
• Knowing what to do in the case of an emergency.
• Summoning help- what people need to know, telephoning for help, the written message.
• Fetching help, self-help and waiting for help to arrive.
• Keeping safe and warm, helping people to find you.
• Weather forecasts – ‘knowing how, where and when to obtain weather forecasts, relating weather forecasts to observed conditions, looking for signs which will indicate changes in the weather.

Basic First Aid

Training based on the current edition of the Authorized Manual of St. John Ambulance, St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association, The British Red Cross.

• Action in an emergency – resuscitation, airway, breathing and circulation.
• The treatment of wounds and bleeding. Treatment for shock.
• The recognition and the immediate treatment of more serious conditions, sprains, dislocations and broken limbs.
• The emergency transportation of casualties.
• The recognition, treatment and prevention of hypothermia.
• The treatment of blisters, cuts, abrasions, minor burns and scads. Headaches, insect bites, sunburn and splinters.

Navigation

The Preparatory Map Skills

• The nature of maps.
• Map direction.
• Scales and distance, measuring distance, distance and time.
• Conventional signs.
• Marginal information.
• Grid references.
• Understanding contours, recognition of major land forms such as hills, valleys, ridges, spurs. Interpretation of contours into mountain land forms and relief, slope and gradients ad the determination of height.
• The ability to give a verbal description of the route linking two places from the map.

The Practical Map Skills

• Setting the map by inspection (two methods).
• Relating the map to the ground. Locating positions using the map.
• Determining geographical direction, and direction of travel from the map. Checking the directions of paths using the set map.
• Identifying and locating features in the country by using the map.
• Locating features marked on the map in the countryside.
• Relating the map and contours to the ground. Estimating journey times in wild country.
• Planning a route, preparing a route card. Estimating speed of travel and arrival times, (ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.)
• Following a planned route.
• Navigation in restricted visibility. Action to be taken in the event of being lost.

Compass Skills

The compass should not be introduced until the participants have mastered the techniques of finding their way using the map alone.

• Care of the compass.
• The influence of ferrous objects and electromagnetic fields.
• Magnetic variation and the relationship between True, Magnetic and Grid Norths.
• Direction from the compass in terms of the cardinal and inter-cardinal points.
• Measuring direction in degrees.
• Setting the map by the compass where magnetic variation may be ignored.
• Determining the direction of footpaths or direction of travel.
• Traveling on a bearing. Obtaining a grid bearing from the map, allowing for magnetic variation where appropriate and traveling on a bearing.

Practically all the understanding and techniques listed above are equally important for ventures on land or on water, but instruction should be modified as necessary for water ventures and charts submitted.

Camp Craft

• Choosing and caring for camping gear.
• Packing a rucksack, waterproofing the contents, keeping the weight down to a minimum and about a quarter of the body weight when walking.
• Choosing camp sites, arrangements for water, cooking and sanitation, refuse disposal and fire precautions. Pitching and striking tents.
• Cooking and the use of stoves, safety procedures and precautions which must be observed when using stoves and handling fuels.
• Using dehydrated foods under expedition conditions.
• Cooking substantial meals under camp conditions.

Country, Highway and Water Sports Codes

• Understanding the spirit and content of the Country Code. The avoidance of noise and disturbance to rural communities.
• A thorough knowledge of the content of the Highway Code with special emphasis on specific modes of travel such as horse riding and cycling if they are to be utilized during he venture.
• If undertaking a water venture, a thorough knowledge of the Water Spots Code.

Purpose Work

• Choosing a purpose.
• Researching relevant information and useful contacts.
• Developing observation skills and different methods of recording information.
• Skills relevant to the method of presentation of the report.