Summer Camp Day One:
I know, let’s go camping the week the Midwest corn decides to get hot. Sounds like a plan to me.
We all arrived yesterday afternoon and saw many familiar faces on the staff from last year. The check in went well, we swim tested, we ate and then watched what could be classified as a unique opening campfire (minus the campfire!).
After the entertainment we headed back to camp, counted them in and then headed off to the tents (or as I call them, our special little ovens). It did eventually cool down but for the first couple of hours I was definitely losing weight just lying motionless. Not a completely pleasant experience.
It was early get up time for those of us who wanted to swim (practicing for the mile or just getting some laps in), the rest of the guys were up at around 7-7:15. Opening flags and announcements is at 8 each morning and then we head over the air conditioned mess hall for breakfast. Pancakes, bacon, cereal, apples, oranges, bananas and PB&J sandwiches were all for the taking today. No excuse to go hungry. Lots of water available and for the adults unlimited coffee!!!!!
After breakfast the boys headed off to their merit badges and this process seemed to go surprisingly well. Because of the heat all boys must carry a water bottle with them at all times. Even when they go to the trading post and want to buy a soda or whatnot, they must present their water bottle to be allowed to buy anything. A good rule I think.
Lunch will be at noon, a short nap can follow and then back off out for the afternoon. There are lots of things going on each evening and tonight there is a camp wide scavenger hunt.
More tomorrow, rather hoping for an afternoon storm to take the edge of heat, but if that doesn’t happen we’ll pull through. Funny how it doesn’t seem to affect the boys as much as us older folks.
Summer Camp Day Two:
Did I mention it was warm? Oh, I think I did.
Let’s assume we’re all staggering hot unless otherwise reported. Last night we had a storm roll through and it was up there in terms of lightning and rumbling. A couple of the tents got a little damp and for some reason one of the guys in a hammock got soaking wet. May have been something to do with the fact that he didn’t put up a rain fly!
“But Mr. Salt, there was only a 50% chance of rain!” I was told by our now damp scout! But don’t worry, it wasn’t one of our new scouts, it was one of our patrol leaders. Your boys are in good hands!
Overall, the boys are all doing well, just one sore throat to report.
Most of them had a great first day of either Brownsea Islanding and or merit badging. A couple of the guys have changed their schedules around a little, but nothing too dramatic.
Speaking of our intrepid Brownsea Island gang, they split into patrols yesterday, voted in patrol leaders, came up with patrol names (most awful but they seemed happy) and made up a patrol cheer. These all sounded like a cross between a very heavy man treading on a dogs paw and an over eager scout tying a newly learned knot in a snake! But they had fun.
They learned knots, navigation skills (get the red in the shed Mr. Johanson!!!), some citizen issues and basic first aid. All mixed with the above mentioned wailing (aka yelling) and games. Today will be more of the same.
Last night was Totin Chip and Fireman’s Chit for all the new fellas. They are now fully licensed to carry and use a knife! Oh, as well as an axe, saw and hatchet. Nothing to worry about, nothing at all!
More rain planned for today (yay, it drops the temperature about 10 degrees) and it seems all the boys are scattered over the camp and having a blast.
Summer Camp Day Three:
Another day, another storm. This time it was a good one!
As we melted in the afternoon sun there were rumours rolling around camp that a big storm was comin’ our way. Sure enough at flags (6 p.m.) the rumbling could be heard and the skies darkened nicely. As we stood there the lighting could be seen off in the distance.
Time to hit the mess hall! All safely inside we ate dinner and then the real rumbling began. At first some of the boys thought Mr. Forrer had maybe just had too much milk (lactose issue!) but then realized the noise was coming from outside. It got to the stage where they even moved us away from the windows! It sounded a bit like a freight train going overhead. Speaking of freight trains, it actually reminded me a certain noise our camp experiences nightly as Mr. Coopersmith dreams happily away in his hammock.
The storm passed and miraculously the temperature dropped about 20 degrees. It turned into a perfect night to be outside and a really pleasant one to sleep in our tents.
Some of the fellas are off to the nuclear plant in Surry today, others will be visiting Jamestown on Friday and the rest of the merry band of smellies are off doing their thing at various parts of the camp.
Showers are being taken (sort of) and t-shirts being changed (sort of), overall the guys seem happy.
Summer Camp Day Four:
I think we are all now huge fans of afternoon storms. The previous evening had cooled us down nicely only to be followed by a gradual temperature increase throughout the day. But come about 4 p.m. up popped those fluffy white cotton balls of salvation that soon led to rumbling and flashing. This is followed by a sharp and much appreciated temperature decline. Gotta love camping out in the tropics!
Our first morning was an early start for most. Not forced, just a bunch of excited scouts up way too early and ready for camp. Oh how that’s changed as the week goes on. Now we’re actively having to go around and wake up some of our longer sleepers.
Some of the boys are beginning to finish some of their merit badges and it would appear that we have some very very good shots in our group as well as some really keen fisherman (even been seen rummaging around under rocks and logs looking for worms as the grapevine has it that is what will catch the small mouth bass!).
We were the proud winners of the awesome stick today. This is the broom handle (The Awesome Stick) that is given to the most awesome troop of the day. Don’t tell the guys but this is a bit like those participation trophies you have lining shelves at home! We are then meant to decorate it in a way that is meaningful to us. If you remember last year this wasn’t our proudest moment. Hopefully this year the guys will come up with something to do and not completely forget as they may have done in the past.
After the storm flew through we ate supper and then had the main event of the evening, the Rumble in the Aquadome! Basically, it’s a bunch of relay races in the pool and the surrounding area. After winning the first three events we thought it best to let others have a go. We really are a very kind bunch.
One or two minor scraps are all we really have to report on the injury front. All in all a good bunch of boys having a lot of fun in the woods. It helps that overall the staff here are very friendly and make this a fun place to hang out.
Two more days to go. I know I don’t want to go back to work, I just hope the boys feel the same (although a little air conditioning would be nice).
Summer Camp Day Five:
So, the final update. And didn’t we have a busy day.
Where were my little white fluffy friends yesterday? No clouds in the afternoon meant it was a little warmer last night but not too bad.
Our merry band of BSI men were a little disappointed when their overnight was cancelled so we decided to hold our own version in our campsite. They pitched their tents with varying amounts of skill and ability but overall the tents were up and stayed up. Tick that box!
The normal merit badge stuff happened during the day and then the fun started. At 7:30 there was a troop relay race. Teams had to run around camp going to the various merit badge areas and complete tasks. I know you know what’s coming next. Yes, Troop 1916 won! Never gets old this winning stuff. Oh, sorry, it’s the taking part that counts. Well, you try to explain that to a bunch of sweaty scouts jumping up and down going crazy shouting "1 9 1 6"!
At 9:30 we had our troop night swim. Lots of fun and nice to get out of the heat. Music was pumping out of the pool house but I rolled my eyes when another Journey track came on. “Well, what would you prefer to listen too”, I was asked by a lifeguard. “Got any Floyd?” I asked. “Which album?” was his surprising response. “Dark Side of the Moon?”. Next thing I know we’re splashing around the pool with ‘Speak to me’ coming out of the speakers. Doesn’t get much better than that.
After our swim we headed back to our site, our BSI guys all burrowed into their tents for the night and we were done for the day.
Today all merit badges wrap up, Max our intrepid sailor returns from his adventure on the Seven Seas, the Citizenship in the Nation boys head over to Jamestown and Mike and I will be heading off to take part in an orienteering course set up by some of the scouts (can only pray we don’t get lost, which I very nearly did yesterday when I went off for a hike!).
If you’re coming down tomorrow please aim to be here NO later than 8 a.m. As much as we’ve enjoyed being here and look9ing after your boys, we really don’t want to hang around waiting for you. The traffic is going to be bad so please account for that I don’t want to disappoint my six little friends that are waiting for me back home in my fridge! They’ve been waiting all week for me to come back and I really shouldn’t be late, that would be rude. (BTW, follow the signs to Camp Lions when you arrive, We're in site 10).