Training

[hacimsaalk]

Does any do lots of training for events like a canoe trip? Do you check you equipment throughly first too?This summer we went on a canoe trip with mostly younger scouts after one of the hurricanes went through. Some of us( like me and 2 other boys) had experience, and most of the adults had experience. Well, anyways the river was flooded in some areas. we started the trip ok, but within an hour my boat had already been flipped once( we had gotten sideways to some waves). to make a long story short we lost about $150 in equipment. 2 of us almost lost our lives( me and the othe boy in my boat). i got caught under a tree for about 5 seconds and he almost got caught in a strainer. our boat and every thing in it floated for about a mile before our scoutmaster caught it. i will say that this experience brought us together though because the boy sfood, all except for one cooler got washed down stream, so w shared the adults food with them. the next morning we packed up and carried everything back to the railroad bridge and carried it across. An Eagle scout and his father helped us. this was the most scary experience i have ever had in scouts.

sorry to bore you but i just thought i'd ask so we know next year

p.s let this be a lesson to all of you

[commish3]

Knowing that flood conditions existed the trip should have been halted before it started. Not only are the currents unpredictable but flood waters have a tremendous amout of moving debris that can be traveling at very high speed. Add to that the structures that would normally be visible on the bank that are now unseen just below the water line.

Considering the age and experience of your group I am thankful all you lost was equipment.

[Lynda J]

I agree with Commish. No way would I have allowed boys on rivers that soon after that type of storms. To many risks.
We 2000 when we had the tornado hit Ft. WOrth, we had a Family Camp planned for the weekend. No way did we go. Weather simply to unstable.

[Rick Tyler]

Yeah, me too. Scouting should be adventurous but not dangerous. We camp every month of the year except December (families are too busy then), but we always carefully check the weather and conditions during the winter. Snow and rain don't stop us, but we have changed the locations of outings if it looks like the weather is simply too dangerous in the mountains. No one really wants to snow camp in a blizzard.

[Lynda J]

Last summer we had a really bad rain storm just before day camp was over on Thursday. Our camp was from 3-8. At 11am on Friday a flash flood warning was issued. During the night we had had almost 4" of rain.
I called camp. No way did I want to be responsible for 179 boys under a flash flood warning on the side of a lake with limited access to the camp.
Had one mother called me all bent out of shape. I simply said
"maybe I care about your sons safety more than you do." She didn't have anything else to say. But safety has to be the first thing we think of.
Yes we do have fun, yes we do some things that have risks. But that doesn't mean that we put the boys or leaders in danger.

[riverwalk]

This is a situation that might have been prevented, if Council, or the Committee said the outing was not approved! Gee whilikers batman, I also know of a Troop that went on a caving trip (out of Council). Sounds interesting, EXCEPT they weren't trained, didn't have plans for the actual cave experience, got separated inside, suffered hypothermia, lacked an accountability plan, and almost had some near drownings, and lost some equipment. Other than this they all came home.

[teepeeayy]

I also question what the heck that SM was thinking....especially with such a young group.

3 years ago, our troop did a 50 mile'er in canoes. For one full weekend prior to that trip, the troop practiced and trained on a lake to the satisfaction of the adult team.

This summer we did white water rafting on the Yougheganey (spelling?). The SM was understandably very nervous, but we used a professional company and had one of their guides in each raft, regardless of experience level.

I liked the line from the post just above my reply here: "I guess I cared more for the kids safety than the mom".

Our SM has no boys in the troop any longer, and I can promise this is his attitude. Anyone on this forum that has access to Weblos 2's should be helping make sure the parents of the boys are comfortable with the troop and the leadership. I asked the right questions and refused to join the troop that is associated with our sponsoring organization, we went across town.

[wagionvigil]

There is a Caving Guide for Troops that want to cave. I do not know the Number.