By Max Lloyd

The mystery of the start of season social continues.  Upon asking the newly appointed Social Sec Aidan where the social was to take place 1am the night before and all he said was “ I dunno it’s somewhere in the bay� I started along with other people to get a little nervous to whether the social was a complete mystery even to himself! However, fear not a text came through with a challenge to all takers to arrive in the bay at 4pm armed with flat shoes as a Treasure Hunt around Cardiff Bay had been arranged.

Meeting in Eli Jenkins with the first of many drinks in hand everyone was put into randomly selected teams, very much the way we are selected at training (how original!). Three teams were formed and had to decide on their team names and captains. Team one was Norfolk in Chance which comprised of Julie P (Capt, who’s going to argue? Burp!), Ian (Brains, well he’s got a big head!) and Max (Sat Nav, degree in Geography “and that’s not a degree in colouring in!�).

Team 1 
Team 1 – Norfolk in Chance

Team Two was ‘Team with no name’ a slick outfit of Ramzi (the man who uses Google earth whilst on a treasure hunt!), Elaine D (thought she knew all the answers!), Rhi (‘I got my 5 inch heals in my bag for later!) and Matt (who disappeared at the end of the night?! ‘Answers on a postcard!’).

Team 2  - Team with no name
Team 2 – Team with no name

Team Three cunningly call Team S.A.K.E which comprised of Stu (I have the biggest camera in the world!), Kate B (on the committee and knew the final destination you cheat!), Amy (probably wondering what the hell this Korfball social was all about!) and Elaine P (Didn’t you also disappear when Matt went!?! lol)

Team 3 - Team Sake
Team 3 – Team S.A.K.E

Anyway, we all set off at ten minute intervals under the guidance of Aidan and Kate S who were the course Marshall’s and had put together the most amazing treasure hunt around the bay which included cryptic clues and watering holes just encase we got thirsty. Now to say no one was competitive would be a stupid thing to say.  Team one despite loosing valuable in the Red Dragon centre asking market stall owners for pictures of crabs and lobsters decided to run everywhere and down beer in the watering holes to make up time. Team two used the internet and Google earth to gain an edge and team three in order to not waste any time in the watering holes with large pints of beer decided on downing shots (hardcore!)

The treasure hunt took us round the whole of the bay with people watching us and thinking what crazy fools we were. The last part of the task involved collecting a series of numbers and then working out a calculation which gave you a phone number. On getting the correct phone number you got through to an answer machine message revealing the final watering hole was and the food! (Very clever!)

Team SAKE on the hunt
Team S.A.K.E

Team one was first back, closely followed by team two. However, team three (you cheats!) with Stu and Miss Brewer being on the committee knew the final point and failed to complete the final task, thus they did not get the answer machine and turned up anyway!  Thankfully the course Marshall’s did notice this in the adding up of the answers and they were penalised.

So who won? The overall winner was decided by time and the amount of correct answers. With time being close it went down to the wire. Both teams getting different answers incorrect the overall winner was separated by one point! Well done to Norfolk in Chance, which Julie getting one answer correct which everyone else missed.

After eating enough pizza to feed the whole of Wales for a year! Rhi’s 5 inch heals came out and we headed for a dance were there was a bit of Thriller action and some Irish dancing lessons from Elaine.

A brilliant day, everyone learnt something new about the bay and many thanks to Aidan and Kate, all the effort you put in which made it so much fun!