Troop 1916 had another successful outing over the weekend with its canoe campout. While this year’s longer route was a challenge, we all benefited not only from more exercise, but also from more scenic views this time around. The weather cooperated as well.
We left Redeemer Lutheran Church on Saturday morning promptly at 9:30. Upon our arrival at 11:00 AM at the Low-Water Bridge Campground near Bentonville, Virginia, the boys quickly set up camp and ate lunch. The outfitters rolled into our camp at 12:30 PM in small school buses pulling trailers loaded with canoes. After the outfitters passed out lifejackets and paddles, and after they spoke briefly on safety, the group got into the buses and headed up the Shenandoah River to our drop-off spot.
Scouts experienced their best views of the weekend soon after getting on the water. The group canoed past several large cliffs. The water was remarkably clear. We saw a bald eagle. Scouts paddled past a herd of cattle that also seemed to be enjoying the weather.
The rapids were pretty too. But at one of the earlier and larger rapids, a Scout and a parent ended up out of their canoe and in the water. No harm was done, and the Scout should be commended for adopting the correct posture after falling in the water (feet down and forward, like going down a slide). Most of the weekend’s rapids were quite small, so small that much energy was expended in lifting canoes over them.
The group stopped at least twice on Saturday to give Scouts a chance to swim. Our first stop was particularly muddy. This resulted in yet more swimming as boys wanted to clean the mud off of their feet and legs.
The group arrived back at the campground at about 6:00 PM. All were hungry after our eleven miles of paddling. Fortunately, Troop 1916 has some fine young chefs – all ate well. Once kitchen patrol (KP) was completed, and after a short campfire talk, boys started crawling into their sleeping bags at around 9:15 PM.
Scouts began emerging from their tents at 7:00 on Sunday morning. Scouts prepared for the day while a rooster, which appeared from nowhere, nonchalantly walked through the camp. This was strange. Following breakfast, Scouts got back into their canoes and resumed their journey downstream. Sunday’s trip was more relaxing as we traveled only three miles. Some boys swam yet again.
After the outfitters drove the group back to the campsite, Scouts completed a cleanup of the campground and soon headed back home. Scouts had experienced yet another fun weekend outdoors with Troop 1916.