Bomb Disposal (again)

Just who is leaving all these bombs laying all over the place??


It's careless is what it is... some would even go as far as saying dangerous.


Before I get to that ticking time bomb, we actually did another activity with the sprogs first (it helped give us some time to set up the detonators and rig the motion sensors). As you all know it is the Jamboree this summer, so the UK Scout Association has some Join In Jamboree activities... so that everyone can experience a bit of the Jamboree.


(by the way, free pdf downloads of the booklets are here... if any of you are looking for program ideas).- actually, do any other countries have something like this in place? Would be interesting to have a look at it, if you can then leave a link in the comments.


We chose the New Planet one, were they were to pair up and come up with a new planet and they were given a list of things that they had to come up with to help describe life on that planet.

1. Name the planet and explain why it is called that
2. Draw the flag for the planet, explain the design
3. 10 laws
4. Motto for the planet
5. How will the planet make money?
6. List 5 things that are banned on your planet
7. Design your planets formal costume
8. Draw and name the money used on the planet
9. Write and perform a planetery song, at least 6 lines long (can be to a tune they already know)
10. List 6 items you will take from Earth with you.

And all I gave them to do all that in was half an hour!


...cause those bombs are ticking you know.


Like the last time, they would have to use water to float the trigger out of the bomb. But this one is a different model.

See all those extra obstacles? They are the bomb-o-matics new 'features'... now with extra deadly. (and a free carrage clock with your first order)

With these Proximity Prevention Poles (PPP for short) water will need to be dropped from a height.

Infact, the pioneering project they had to build was a chariot, an A-frame. One of the patrol would have to ride the chariot, carrying the cup of water, while the rest of the patrol carried the chariot. Of course, you get more than one cup in a bottle... so they had to go back and forth a number of times to fill it.

They're getting so close!

Surprisingly, we managed all of this... designing a new planet, deactivating a bomb and clearing up... and we still had time to spare! So we played human checkers, Sprogs v Leaders (we had cones as our pieces as there were only 3 leaders).

The sprogs lost.... mah ha ha ha

Red wire or blue wire...

... which one do I cut? This bomb is going to explode if you don't tell me quick... RED OR BLUE?*

Now us scouters know the answer to that straight off. Just remove the ball from the tube!

D'uh

Or depending on the activity; the scissors from the ball of string, the peg from the pot or even the glow sticks from the other team... simple really!

But for todays proposes it's the ball out of the tube model. And of course, with all these risk assessments and health & saftey etc etc... I couldn't let my poor defenceless sprogs anywhere near the actual bombs now could I? (can you imagine the paperwork?!)

So my bomb disposal sprogs had to contruct something to get the tennis ball out of the tube and back to them without moving the rest of the of the bomb. All they had to do it was:

Broom handles (cause we can't find traditional scout staves), rope and a cup of water

In reality, this was my ploy to get them to practice the sheer lashing.

Not quite tight enough, but a decent attempt

So close!

Where as this was one of the other teams...

It didn't really get anywhere near

There was a third team, and if I am honest (and you know I do try to be honest to you all) they did get closer than the second team. But their contrapion was so flimsy it actually made an arch to get to the bomb.

There isn't a photo as I was too busy... laughing... I then of course pointed them in the right direction. They took it apart to try and fix it, but we ran out of time.

Surprisingly, what with all the water being held at a distance, the floor didn't actually get too wet!

*I never understood this; why handily colour code the wires so that it can be disarmed? Surely they would use all black wires... cause you know, black goes with anything. Why hasn't Hollywood thought of this? Or am I just being a tad too scarey just now. Ok, I'll shut up.