Ready to Get Dirty?....

Amsterdam Survival Academy
Herman Renting
Herman, along with enthusiastic colleagues, provides survival day camps for kids. His passion is around teaching children to play safely in nature with things that may at first seem a little scary, but don't have to be.
His experience and expertise come from many years in both the Dutch Marine Corps and the Commandos. Among other adventures, he's been hot in the Dutch Antilles, Beliz and Martinique; and cold and wet in Scotland and Norway. Currently, he is a fireman and rescue diver with the dutch fire service.
(And he likes to watch Bear Grylls on National Geographic too!)

Monday 5 October 2015

We bought a domain name!! which will one day be our website,.....

We bit the bullet and bought a website domain, one day soon we will have a website for ASA at:

www.asa.amsterdam

Onwards and upwards,...

Rachael & Herman

Thursday 1 October 2015

Survival Birthday Party!!

On the 6th of September, it was our pleasure to host a survival birthday party for Fisher, who was turning six.
A very enthusiastic and intrepid group of kids and parents made bows and arrows and competed for prizes in an archery competition,

and learned to build campfires and roast marshmallows.

it was followed by lots of playing with the outdoor zipwires and trampoline, more archery practice





and, of course, .... CAKE!


a great day, thanks to all for your energy, enthusiasm, archery skills and participation.

The ASA crew

Sunday 26 July 2015

Visual Summary of our last week of camp, Thanks Rein,...

Thanks to Rein, a beautiful visual summary of lots of the activities from our last week of camp!

 Thanks Rein, and here's an action shot of you.

See y'all next year.
rachael & Herman


Friday 24 July 2015

Week 3, Day 3 - Our last day for the year of ASA Summer Survival Camps 2015 - super chill.....and scrambled eggs!

super chill,...



and scrambled eggs and pita breads on the fire,...


Off to the lake,... military line up style


 the lollipop-winning shot!  the first water bomb of the day, way to go Iona!


 Much practice, after making our own bows & arrows


have a ton of leftover clothes, will send a photo tomorrow for people to claim what they want back. And a ton of great photos that i will get on Dropbox over the weekend.
Super thanks to all our ASA survival day campers - You Rule!
See you next year,
rachael, Herman & the ASA crew

Thursday 23 July 2015

Week 3 - Days 1 & 2 - a relaxed week...

Hi all,
The beginning of our last week of ASA Summer Survival Camps for 2015 - and it's been a super relaxed, fun beginning.
Making fires, really making them ourselves and just chillin' with a stick and a fire,....and marshmallows of course.




Next, a float on the rafts, navigating and generally getting wet,... (Dante, when he still had two shoes)




Making bread,...

and baking bread

to make the perfect hot dogs. 

 chillaxing with good friends, and new friends



 And making afternoon popcorn over the fire.

Knife making, archery practice, lots of zip wire and a trip to swim in the lake.

Looking forward to tomorrow, we will make our own bows and arrows!

See you there!
rachael, Herman and the ASA crew



Friday 17 July 2015

Week 2, Days 2 & 3 - Sun, Swim and Shoot

Sorry for missing yesterday's post - technology problems!

Days 2 & 3, we had sun!!  so it was a hike to the lake,....



And everyone IN!
New Game: How many children can you hang on one fireman in the lake?

Back to camp for breakmaking,... cooking it over the fire, filling it with hot dogs and eating it, of course.




Who knew how much fun nine kids could have with a hammock?!...


Chill out time in the afternoon we spent building up fires, and roasting marshmallows or making popcorn.







Highlight of the afternoon was definitely a toss up between bow & arrow making and superb raft building and record breaking distance paddling trips on said rafts.



learning how to use the bow & arrow was one thing, then it was just practice, practice, practice.






and more practice.





with frequent play breaks.



Thanks to all our campers and instructors for another fantastic week of outdoor activity and learning! One more week to go.
Now, all that's left is to clean up - thanks to the parents for their patience with all the wet and dirty gear coming home - we have a pile of 'leftover' things that stayed at camp when your kids came home. Let me know if you're missing anything.

Warmest regards,
rachael, Herman and the ASA crew



Wednesday 15 July 2015

Week 2, Day 1 - how can all this rain not keep this crew down!?!,....

What a day!
Straight into the water and raft building first thing this morning,... perhaps the theory was 'we can't get MORE wet' - great, great rafts.  Even one that made it all the way to the end of the waterway!



Then, it was on to knife making
and knife sharpening

so many uses for the knives today, to cut kindling for the fire, to carve wood and to chop veggies for the vegetable noodle soup we had before heading home.

so many nice photos to share, will put them on dropbox at the end of the week.  On to Day 2,..... should be warmer weather tomorrow and we will probably head to the lake for a swim.  So, swim gear, extra towels and dry clothes and see you tomorrow!

rachael. Herman and the ASA crew