2008
2006
Canoe Expedition - June 2008
There is a place, so special, and so unique, it is called the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. In June of 2008 the scouts in Troop 230 had the opportunity to explore this special place. It was a beautiful trip, with some awesome days filled with fun and adventure. We swam every day, and caught fish and worked on merit badges. For 5 days we portaged our canoes from lake to lake to lake, finally arriving at the Moose River, a thin stream-like river that was our only "highway." On the Moose River, we meandered back and forth, ducking under logs and trees and working our way past rocks and gravel bars. Finally, after two hard days on the river, we arrived back in civilization and to the end of our wonderful adventure. Enjoy the pictures. Enjoy the memory. It was a trip never to be forgotten--a trip of a lifetime. It was what scouting is supposed to be.
The Lakes
The trip was an experience that
became a part of you. Each lake was individually
different than the one that preceded it, and as we traveled across the refuge we
discovered pristine waters, Moose, Caribou, Loons, Swans, and many Bald Eagles,
some so close you could see right into their eyes. One of the
special jewels we discovered was a long thin little stream that connected two
lakes together. This "water portage" was a challenge, as it was
like a highway within the lily pads, and it took some canoeing skill to keep in
the channel. But it was a lot of fun, and a beautiful paddle.
The lakes are connected by an
intricate portage system, which allows you to travel across it, making each day
a new experience. On the first day, we pushed ourselves
hard, getting deep into the refuge. We portaged our canoes
from lake to lake, working out way farther and father from civilization.
Soon, we were alone, pushing our own canoes in teams of two, finding out our
limits and discovering our capabilities. The portages tested you, as
we had to pack up all of our gear, and our canoes, and carry them over some
rugged trails. It wasn't easy, but we worked together, solidifying
friendships in the process and learning our own limitations.
Lake Camping:
As we traveled across the refuge, we camped
in different campsites, where we set up our tents and ate our food.
Camp life was fun, and we worked together to keep it that way.
It is in camp where the friendship come together and the the memories are
made. We had some great campsites.
And some great meals. Some friends of the troop even flew by
in their airplanes and dropped us some special treats which were very much
appreciated. Oh YEAH. On Swan Lake, we stuffed ourselves with a dinner never to be
forgotten. We ate a special dinner of fillet mignons, fresh corn,
fresh peas (not
freeze-dried) and "Smores" for dessert! Yeah, you have to rough it in
Troop 230!
The Island of Mystery
There is a special island in the heart of the refuge that can only we camped upon by the bravest of the brave. It
is a island of mystery, where strange adventures have taken place in the past. At
night if you listen very hard you can hear the natives, and the banging of the drums from their
mystical ring of fire can definitely be heard when they are especially restless.
The older and most experienced scouts in the troop have dared to camp there in
previous years, and did so again,
putting up with rain and wind and the Irbeewalker, somehow surviving the night
and coming back changed, better even, filled with wonder and awe and with smiles
on their faces and pride in their hearts.
Fishing
We caught a few fish, which we
returned to the water from which they came. We were so busy
most of the time that we just didn't spend a lot of time
fishing.
Water Fun
One of our favorite lakes was Lake
Gavia. It is clear, with lots of trout, and it even has three
islands that are there to be explored. We spent two nights on Lake
Gavia, and set up a camp where we relaxed. We also swam every day, and took
time out too to work on merit badges, including the Canoeing Merit
badge. We purposely swamped our canoes, and practiced righting them,
learning how to jump out of them, and to get back in again.
The "Dudes"
We had a lot of fun. A
LOT of fun. More than the trip, it was the special group of scouts
and leaders that came together to make this adventure what it was.
It was the group of 'dudes' that generated the fun.
Swimming
The scouts in T230 like to swim, and
this trip was no exception. There was even a special rock, where we stopped and took
a group photo, and then went swimming. Who says you can't swim in Alaska????
The Moose River
The last two days of our trip were
spent canoeing the narrow, meandering river called the Moose. We saw
wildlife, and paddled hard, which was a difficult feat with the kamikaze
bugs attacking with a vengeance. On the last night we topped the
trip off
with another swim, and then an airdrop of ice cream, just because the troop has friends
and we could.
The End
Finally, after six days in our canoe,
we arrived back into civilization, and our destination. It was a
great end to a great trip, and together we pulled into the dock in Sterling,
standing tall, our spirits refreshed and our honor held high.
Adults:
The key to our troop, and to the adventures we
enjoy, is the willingness for our parents to take their time and donate it to
the troop. It takes dedicated adults to make a trip of this
magnitude possible, and once again our thanks goes out to them.
