We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

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Troop 845’s Deep Sea Adventure

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Troop 845 attended the Scuba Adventure at Florida Sea Base August 5-12, 2018. To prepare for this experience, all six boys and two adult leaders earned their Open Water SCUBA certification last summer as well as additional dive trips between June 2017 and August 2018. Justin Mallory, Life Scout and Crew Leader, helped the Crew organize for the trip, including fundraising during the year. The Crew included Alex Dudley (First Class), Anthony Nieves (Life), Nolan Ragon (Life), Robert Nieves (Life), Sean Sullivan (Star) and two Troop Committee members Jim Mallory and Mike Ragon. The adventure began with snorkeling and earning the BSA snorkeling badge.

During their first boat dive, they saw a barracuda, a reef shark and a million fish! During the following days, they experienced many close encounters with nurse sharks, saw sea turtles, a moray eel and a small octopus. The Dive Master commented that it was rare to see an octopus during the day and the Crew felt extremely lucky! From the boat docks, they also saw manatee playing in the water and from the boat, a school of playful porpoises. One of the dives allowed them to dive around a Norwegian freighter that sank during World War II. The conditions were good that day with 60 feet visibility and a coral formation “swim through”. The adventure also included a night dive and the conditions were perfect to see the sea turtles, eels and barracuda. By the last day, the Crew was exhausted and ready to come home to share their incredible stories! Crew Leader Justin Mallory said, “We plan to create a presentation to share with the Troop and encourage younger Scouts to follow in our footsteps and embark on this incredible journey for themselves.”

Great Falls NPS VA Cub Scout Day Brings Together NPS and Scouts for Fun and Service

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On Sunday, September 23, over 130 Cub Scouts from across NCAC came together at Great Falls Park in Virginia to celebrate 100 years of partnership between the National Park Service and Boy Scouts of America. Cub Scouts got up close and personal with a Great Horned Owl, Screech Owl, Barred Owl, Red Shouldered Hawk, and Barn Owl. They also were able to touch corn snakes, and observe other snakes feeding. Most Scouts also stretched their legs as they took part in hikes ranging from one to three miles along the river.

“Some of the best moments in Scouting take place in national parks,” said Andrew Turner Au, Park Guide at Great Falls Park. “My first experience as a Scout was in the National Park Service climbing Old Rag in Shenandoah Valley. I am tremendously grateful for what Scouting provided me when I was young and what it has taught me.”

Turner Au has been giving back ever since, creating opportunities for Scouts to explore NPS by promoting Eagle Scout projects at Great Falls, providing merit badge programs, offering rank requirement opportunities, and arranging other Scouting activities in the park, such as Cub Scout Day.

On this day, he was proud to report that nearly all Scouts completed the junior ranger book, earning the coveted Junior Ranger Badge. Scouts also did a good turn on their hikes by picking up litter and learning about Leave No Trace (LNT).

LNT activities were conducted by Scouts in Troop 55, and Cub Scouts received LNT certificates after reciting the seven principles from memory, watching an LNT video, and picking up ten pieces of trash. According to one volunteer on site on Sunday, the park hasn’t looked this clean in years.

Cub Scouts who stayed at the park the whole day earned the NPS/BSA patch for learning, helping, and inspiring others about the National Park Service.

“Each year Scouts spend more than 60,000 hours on volunteer projects to restore or enhance our national parks,” said Turner Au. “This service is not only integral to Scouting, but also provides a great benefit for NPS.”

For more information regarding Scouting or volunteer opportunities within Great Falls National Park, please contact Park Guide Andrew Turner Au at andrew_turnerau@nps.gov. Special thanks to Park Rangers Cheryl Breese, Susan Finta, and Franice Sewell for their support of the Cub Scout Day program.

Pack 81 to Host OE Award Event

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Scouts interested in earning the NCAC Outdoor Ethics Award can start that process on Sunday; October 28, 2018 at Caledon State Park, 11617 Caledon Road, King George, VA 22485 from 1-3 pm. ALL Scouts are welcome; please RSVP and let us know that you are interested. There will be a Leave No Trace trainer on site during the river/beach cleanup to help fulfill requirement #4.

Please Arrive by 12:45 pm. We will depart the visitor’s center at 1:00 pm. Caledon State Park will be providing transportation by pickup truck and large wagon from the visitor’s center to the cleanup site (2 miles one way if you decide to walk). Bring gloves for picking up debris and other garbage.

Leave No Trace instills an awareness that spurs questions like, “What can we do to reduce our impact on the environment and on the experiences of other visitors?” Leave No Trace is an awareness and an attitude rather than a set of rules. We should all practice Leave No Trace in our thinking and actions – – – wherever we go.

Crew/Troop 427’s Hike Across Maryland Adventure

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On the morning of Thursday, July 19th, under a clear blue sky, members of Troop and Crew 427 set off to hike across Maryland on the Appalachian Trail. The Scouts chose the 41.9-mile hike as a warmup for their 2019 Philmont trek. https://www.hikingupward.com/OMH/MarylandChallenge/

With a total elevation gain of over 5,000 feet, and total elevation loss of over 6,000 feet, this hike would definitely challenge the crew’s endurance. The first two days were an opportunity to practice their navigation, cooking and water treatment skills along with building their crew integrity.

The crew’s days weren’t restricted to skills training. While hiking they were able to enjoy a bucolic view of the Maryland countryside from High Rock, MD (elev. 1900 ft. +), climb the first Washington Monument overlooking Boonsboro, MD, and visit the National War Correspondents Memorial at Gathland State Park.

On day three the crew had to hike hard in order to get to the Ed Garvey shelter before the torrential rain that brought flash flooding to much of the Central Atlantic states and New England. Once under cover of the shelter, which they shared with two other hikers and their dog, the crew passed the time playing cards, napping and generally relaxing in preparation for the next day’s push into Harpers Ferry.

Rising early on Sunday the 22nd, under overcast skies, the crew was on the trail a little before 7 and arrived at Harpers Ferry at a little before 9:30, covering the six and a half miles in just two and a half hours.

NCAC’s Popular Camp Card Program Returns!

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The Camp Card fundraising program is back! Camp Cards help Scouts earn their way to summer camp, day camp, and high adventure treks. Units participating in the 2019 program will earn 50% commission ($2.50) on each $5 Camp Card they sell.

This program is risk free – you can simply return any unsold cards! The 2019 sale will run from February 1 to May 15. Sign-ups begin November 1. To sign up please go to: www.NCACBSA.org/CampCard.

Keep your eye out to see which great vendors we have locked in for you in 2019! In addition to the coupons you see on the card, you also get access to thousands of other coupons through the Entertainment discount network. This gives units more options when selecting locations for show and sell opportunities.

Don’t miss out! Sign up at www.NCACBSA.org/CampCard. Cards will be distributed at the February Roundtables.

For more information email CampCard@NCACBSA.org.

Goose Creek District Campout

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Over 190 Webelos from 20 packs, with their parents, came out for a beautiful (if rainy)weekend at Camp Snyder. They exhausted themselves at the gaga pit, monkey bridge, human foosball, knife safety, cooking, wilderness survival, fire building, and first aid.

All of the activities were run by over 90 Scouts and Scouters from eight troops that came out to assist in the event. They had just a much fun showing the Cub Scouts about what Boy Scouts do and had a great opportunity to use the EDGE method in their teaching.

Topping it all off was an evening campfire, hosted by Goose Creek’s Order of the Arrow ceremony team. Packs and troops presented skits and songs for everyone to enjoy, and the staff performed their traditional “pie throwing techniques” skit to the amusement of all.

A special “Introduction to Webelos” presentation was provided to all of the first year Webelos and their parents while the Order of the Arrow did a ‘Webelos to Scout’ presentation for those that will be transitioning into Boy Scout this spring.

A special thanks to all the adult volunteers who came out to help set up, take down, pickup trash bags, distribute charcoal and fire pit stands, prepare foil strips, manage traffic, and run the food distribution area and to the troops who cut up the onions and peppers for the Webelos’s dinner and helped with the food line.