Great Adventure Challenge

Last weekend my camera’s weather proofing and my own was put to the test. I was up at Cam’s Wharf on the NSW Central Coast covering Maximum Adventure’s Great Adventure Challenge and it rained and rained and rained but it didn’t dampen the smiles and the fact that it was a great day out.

The Great Adventure Challenge or GAC is an adventure race for corporate teams where they raise money for the Starlight Foundation. 17 teams from various companies compete on the day doing a variety of disciplines including mountain biking, trail running and kayaking with a bit of orienteering throw in for good measure. The wet weather added a new element into the event as well.

Rain started to fall about half an hour before we were due to start shooting and continued all morning turning the tracks into treacherous trails with a 10cm layer of thick mud on top. It kept up through the day but as the day progressed it started to ease off until it dried up about half an hour before we were due to finish up. I had full wet weather gear on but water seems to find a way to get in none-the-less. By the end of the day I was pretty thoroughly wet through.

I have a large Think-Tank rain cover which is definitely rock solid at keeping the rain out. The problem I have with it though is how big and bulky it is. For a much lighter and easier to handle rain protection I use Optech rain covers which are also large enough to cover my trigger system atop my camera. For around $15 you can find a pack of 2 on Ebay. They come packed up about the size of a cd which makes them small enough to just throw in your back for that just in case it  it down rain situation.

I saw another new toy on the weekend. Gil my colleague showed me his new coffee plunger that makes what is supposed to be a fancy little expresso. It appears that though that he might have gotten a faulty version because despite my request to try it out I or our other photographer failed to see so much as a drip from the plunger. 😉

Here is a selection of shots that I got from my locations on the day.