I was recently asked to instruct a few Scout packs on water safety and overnight kayak trips. I am very well practiced with safety equipment and have plenty of it for the troops. I have just finished reading this months article in Backpacker on Scouts and (surprise to me) now I am working with them. My main concern is... What is it like camping with scouts? I imagine - very organized teens hustling about like worker ants assembling and disassemblig camps, crafts, plenty of skills testing etc. My brothers used to be in Scouts and they always had to pack some cat food "just in case". Regarding that last statement - how prepared should I be for this overnight trip? I have never had to bring all that before, so this will definitely be a fun learning experience. We will paddle about 9 - 11 miles a day, with a couple small portages about 100 yds each. Boats= a fleet of Perception Acadia's (mostly), 2 SeaLion's (counselors), Carolina's and Keeowee 2's. I will be in my friends Shadow - which I have paddled on many longer trips 25 miles +. Any Scout Boating Stories? - besides the scary one in Canoe and Kayak last year. Any tips? Let me hear from you. Phil Huck thekayaker_at_yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free _at_yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Phil Huck wrote: > > My main concern is... > What is it like camping with scouts? > I imagine - very organized teens hustling about like > worker ants assembling and disassemblig camps, crafts, > plenty of skills testing etc. Can be. Whether it is or not is highly up to you. Mostly, the Scouts will not organize themselves unless they've been trained to do so. I'd suggest you prepare yourself to exercise a lot more leadership than you would when paddling with adults. In a word (or 3) "Keep 'em busy." DEcide ahead of time on what they can decide democratically (We can swim first, or practice rescues first) and what you're going to tell them to do. If Scouts respect you as a leader and understand the thinking behind things, they follow really well. > My brothers used to be in Scouts and they always had > to pack some cat food "just in case". Huh? In case you are attacked by a mountain lion, so you can open the can, toss it down, and run away while he chows down on the fancy feast? > Regarding that last statement - how prepared should I > be for this overnight trip? I have never had to bring > all that before, so this will definitely be a fun > learning experience. Be prepared...be very prepared. You are responsible for them, so when they screw up --and you must let them screw up, at least a little-- you can save their butts. This means extra polypro, extra food, extra water, extra paddle... Don't carry it all yourself, though, make them do some of the work. > > We will paddle about 9 - 11 miles a day, with a couple > small portages about 100 yds each. > Boats= a fleet of Perception Acadia's (mostly), 2 > SeaLion's (counselors), Carolina's and Keeowee 2's. I > will be in my friends Shadow - which I have paddled on > many longer trips 25 miles +. > I think 11 miles a day is a lot in a Keeowee 2. Probably around the upper limit for an Acadia, too. Have these Scouts paddled much? You don't want them so tired at the end of the day that they can't cook (your) supper. Steve -- Test Scoring & Reporting Services Sometimes, you never can University of Georgia always tell what you Athens, GA 30602-5593 least expect the most. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
The best things you can do is bring ear plugs, maybe a set of hand cuffs or two and teach them to play poker (maybe they can get the gambling merit badge!). Playing in the campfire is also a fun thing for them to do. Under no circumstances will you wear them out! Have fun! Hal Wilton, NH Power your boat with carbohydrates, not hydrocarbons. http://www.jlc.net/~hlevin *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Phil Huck wrote: > My brothers used to be in Scouts and they always had > to pack some cat food "just in case". > Any Scout Boating Stories? - besides the scary one in > Canoe and Kayak last year. > > Any tips? > You could probably save on catfood costs by having the scout troop view the film "Alive" for tips on those unexpected situations. gabriel l romeu http://studiofurniture.com furniture, designed and constructed http://members.aol.com/romeugp paintings, photos, prints, etc. http://members.xoom.com/gabrielR a daily photo journal *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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