We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Adventure

Maritime Exploring

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Maritime Exploring is a special program for girls and boys in grades 6-8 to experience water-based Scouting adventures alongside NCAC’s Sea Scout Ships! When the US Coast Guard Auxiliary (USCGAUX) partnered with Sea Scouts BSA, Sea Scouts became the official youth program for the USCGAUX. This partnership has opened even more doors for our Sea Scouts.

Sea Scouts is a BSA program that wraps all the necessary life-long skills learned in other Scouting programs within the trappings of fun, water-based activities. Sea Scouts can go sailing or SCUBA diving and end up challenging themselves to grow and lead. Like other BSA programs, Sea Scouts are recognized and rewarded for their accomplishments and discoveries. They learn valuable lessons in boating safety and have the opportunity to earn other certifications such as lifesaving, SCUBA, and CPR/First Aid all while throwing their sheets into the wind and sailing.

Although Sea Scouts is only for youth ages 14 to 20, Maritime Exploring Clubs allow younger youth (ages 10-14) to participate with Sea Scouts for age-appropriate maritime activities!

NCAC has 14 Sea Scout Ships across the waters throughout DC, Maryland, and Virginia and every Ship would welcome a Maritime Explorer Club to partner with!

Know a youth who is interested in Maritime Exploring? Send us an email at:

Jeff Schweiger, NCAC Exploring Commissioner: scouter.jeff@earthlink.net
Lorrie Hartwell, NCAC Commodore: jlkplus4@aol.com
Council Contact Number: 240.395.0601

Troop 1550 in Leesburg, VA Earns the Boy Scouts of America Historic Trails Award

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On the weekend of October 9-11, 2020 Troop 1550 camped at McCoys Ferry Campground (a National Park Campground) that’s located along the C & O Canal National Historical Park.

They volunteered with the C & O Canal Trust for their annual C & O Canal Trust Pride (in our trail) Day scraping peeling paint off & painting picnic tables, scraping off chipping paint & rust and spray-painting grills, repairing signs & painting fences/guard rails as well as picking up trash on the trail & in the towpath itself. They filled several bags of trash.

Rod Newton, Program & Volunteer Coordinator for the C & O Canal Trust, led a discussion on the history of the C & O Canal & the C & O Canal Trust & answered questions from Scouts & leaders.

Troop 1577 Enjoys Canoe Day at Lake Audubon

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Sixteen Scouts and six adults did a canoeing “micro-outing” at Lake Audubon in Reston. This is part of the Troop’s efforts to get Scouts outside while social distancing. We created the idea of a “micro-outing” which is a short outing closer to home to avoid carpooling.

It took a lot of work by Scouts and adults to get to this point. It involved organizing swim tests, gathering health forms, fixing the canoe trailer and doing a test micro-outing three weeks ago. But all that work means our troop is now ready to more easily do more micro-outings – both with canoeing and other themes.

Photos by Bill Wacek and Carla Brown

The Great Bike Rodeo

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Have you ever heard of a bike rodeo? If you’re expecting bull riders riding bicycles at a you’ll be disappointed, but Pack 1323 from Laytonsville, MD, did something just as cool this past August. The bike rodeo was held in an open parking lot to teach Scouts bike riding safety and techniques. Scouts learned about safety inspections, hand signals, helmet safety, and safe braking. One Scout remarked how his favorite part of the event was the “Slow Race” where Scouts had to follow a large circle on the ground and ride as slowly as possible without letting their feet touch the ground. The Scout with the longest time would win! Overall the Scouts had a great time at this fun, interactive, and educational event.

Ryan Krauss, Top MD Scout Orienteer

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Ryan Krauss from Arlington Troop 111 (Chain Bridge District), was the top Maryland Scout Orienteer on Sept. 12 at Broad Creek Scout Reservation. On a tough, rocky course, 2019 champion Nate Beardmore from 347, Prince Frederick, Western Shore, had the lead most of the way, a bit ahead of 111’s Thomas Sullivan, 347’s Duncan Santerre, one Baltimore Area Scout, and Joey Hastings from 1321 in La Plata.
Amidst rigorous COVID precautions, 320 attendees did training and orienteered on color maps as in the attached picture. In that picture, can you see two problems with whomever hopes to find north!? If not, or even if so, mark you calendar for the 45th Annual MD Scout Orienteering Day on Oct. 23, 2021 at Patuxent River Park, Upper Marlboro,  Also contact Jim Chaplin at JHChaplin@comcast.net about the big 15th annual spring 2021 DC area NCAC Scout Orienteering event!

Wood Badge Critters Seen at D.C. Landmarks

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A little over 100 years ago, Lord Baden Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts, led development of a training course for adult Scouters.  The course, called Wood Badge, continues as Scouting’s premier (and only worldwide) adult training program.  During two weekends of classroom and camping fun, the course participants learn about leadership through lecture and practical applications.  By the end of the second weekend, the participants each develop a Ticket consisting of a vision and 5 goals that are focused on making a lasting impact on their home units.  Upon completion of their Tickets, the participants are honored in a celebration of the occasion—a Wood Badge Beading.

On recent beautiful Sunday afternoons, two patrols from National Capital Area Council’s Fall 2018 Wood Badge Course held patrol beadings.  On Sunday afternoon, Aug 30, the Antelope Patrol —Barry Brown, Joe Laville, Greg Fairbanks, Chris Noyes, Jim Kyger, and Bryan Dierlam —gathered on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol.   The course Scoutmaster, Doug Carlson, and Karen Purinton, Antelope Troop Guide, presided over the ceremony which included more than 30 family, friends, and Scouters.  Attendees represented essentially every Scout program and age group.

Just two weeks later, on Sep 13, the Fox Patrol—Sonja Kueppers, Tam Bui, Ed Apsey, Robert Kronenberg, and Stephen Khovananth—met at another beautiful D.C. landmark, Roosevelt Island, for their patrol beading.  (Note that the Foxes met in the woods while the Antelopes met in an open field—just a coincidence?!)  For this ceremony, Scoutmaster Doug Carlson and Troop Guide Bryan Martin Firvida were joined by family members in officially recognizing these Scouters for their accomplishments.

The photos, including one of Antelope Bryan Dierlam and his children, William (Scout in Troop 500) and daughter, Emma (Webelos 1 in Pack 230), another of Fox Sonja Kuepper and her daughter, Erika Pfeifer (First Class in Troop 1123), and Fox Ed Apsey, his wife Margaret, and son, Odin (rising Arrow of Life in Pack 1152) are evidence that Scouting continues to have a bright future as a family movement!