Kingfisher Cumberland Camping
March 3rd, 2010 Cumberland Island, First-time Backpacking, Kingfisher Academy, Overnight, Swimming, Tree ClimbingNo Responses » Read or Post Your Own
I couldn’t resist the alliteration in the title of this post!
Last week, Ms. McGinnis (a middle-school teacher at Kingfisher Academy) and I took a group of twelve 9-13 year olds on a 4-day, 3-night camping trip on Cumberland Island National Seashore on the coast of Georgia. For those of you not familiar with Cumberland, it is my favorite place in the United States. From the jungle of live oak trees, saw palmettos, and Spanish moss to the wild horses to the pristine beaches, Cumberland is an exquisite place to be outdoors.
I’m always excited to introduce new people to the island, and this group of students from Kingfisher Academy were in for a treat! February is one of the best times to visit Cumberland because the gnats and mosquitos are not out yet and it is still sometimes warm enough to soak in the sun at the beach. On this trip, we experienced the best day possible: 75 degree temperatures, full sun, no bugs, and an island virtually to ourselves because the ferry doesn’t run on Tuesdays.
Though rain was predicted on Monday and Wednesday, nature smiled on us and only produced a slight drizzle both days. Enough to get us damp, but not soaked to the bone.
Despite this good fortune, this was still a most difficult trip. Not only were these students relatively young (four days out is a long time for 9-10 year olds), but this was the longest camping trip most of them had been on, the first camping trip for some, and the first time away from parents overnight for one or two. As a result, our group had to learn a camp routine and develop comfort sleeping and living in the woods. We were not without a good deal of complaining, but I saw a lot of growth in the kids.
Some kids refused to wear “dirty” clothes, insisting on changing into “clean” ones (sometimes twice a day), but on our last evening when the temperature was dropped into the mid-30s, all the kids quickly put on multiple layers when I asked them to - no matter if they had any “clean” clothes left.
One girl slept really poorly the first night, laying awake listening to the sounds of the forest. The next night, feeling more comfortable, she slept like a rock.
We developed lots of routines: dish washing and tooth brushing after meals, where to put trash, where to keep our food safe from raccoons, always zipping up the tent when you leave it, etc.
At the end of the trip when Ms. McGinnis asked the students what they were most proud of, and it was a joy to hear their answers: completing a 7.5 mile hike, having a quiet moment watching the bright moon at night, and my favorite, just coming on this trip!
Though we stayed in Sea Camp all three nights, we were not at all sedentary. I’m not sure if you can be with kids this age. The first day, we set up camp and then spent the rest of the day combing the beach for sea life and running. This group ran around more than any other group I’ve been with. No wonder we were all in bed by 9pm each night!
On Tuesday, in the glorious 75-degree weather that I previously described, we took a 5-mile day hike to Dungeness, a ruined Carnegie mansion from the early 1900s. We visited Raccoon Keys and searched (mostly fruitlessly) for sharks teeth. We saw 9 wild horses. We visited the salt marshes on the southern end of the island, and took a long walk back to camp along the beach.
We even got to go swimming…well, sort of. My rule was that no one goes in the water unless I do, and it was so beautiful on Tuesday that I decided it would be okay. We splashed in the waves, got thoroughly wet, and then had to rinse the salt water off our bodies in ice cold showers! But it was worth it!
That night, the kids collected wood, built a pyre, and lit the fire. We roasted marshmallows, made s’mores, and told stories.
The next day we cleaned up camp and tightened the guy-lines on our tents in case of rain and then took a 7.5 mile day hike to Stafford Beach and back. This was not easy for the kids. 7.5 miles is the longest hike I’ve taken them on this year and it started drizzling when were a mile from camp. Prepared, we put on our rain gear and continued. Though blisters, sore ankles, knees and legs hobbled us, we did it! And at least one student learned it’s better to not wear short socks with high-top basketball shoes.
Though the rain soaked some of our firewood, the kids (and me and Ms. McGinnis) were diligent and stashed enough wood under the tarp for a fire on our last morning. The students built a pyre the previous night and covered it with my pack cover. So on Thursday morning, I awoke before everyone and used their pyre to light the fire. We toasted our bagels, drank tea and cocoa, then packed up camp to leave.
We were all very ready to go home, but leaving Cumberland is still bittersweet for me - especially since the clouds cleared and blue skies and sun streamed down through the Spanish moss as we backpacked to the ferry on Thursday morning. 
Despite the chilly wind, I couldn’t help but sit on the upper deck of the ferry to wish the island adieu. Most of the kids fell asleep on benches in the heated cabin of the ferry.
I can’t wait for my next journey to Cumberland Island in the fall. Be on the lookout for our announcement (in May) of our next Cumberland Island trip open to the general public.
No Responses » Read or Post Your Own
Kingfisher November Camping Trip
November 11th, 2009 Cold Weather, First-time Backpacking, Kingfisher Academy, Overnight, SwimmingNo Responses » Read or Post Your Own
We just returned from a fun, beautiful, and relaxing camping trip with a group of middle school students from Kingfisher Academy. Though our numbers dwindled as the trip approached, we ended up having a great time. The day before the trip I found out that two students would not be participating. Then I woke up at 7:00 am to a call from their teacher (who was to be an adult leader of the trip) saying she was sick and didn’t think she should go on the trip. Luckily, Catie, our Programs Manager & Guide, was able to help lead the trip, so we didn’t have to cancel.
And thank goodness we didn’t! The skies stayed perfectly blue the whole time and the students were adventurous, helpful, and positive. Though only two of the students had extensive camping experience, everyone acted like seasoned backcountry guides. Here are some of the impressive things they did:
- Instead of choosing the closest campsite to the bus, our group chose to walk an extra mile carrying all of their gear to a more remote campsite. Though the trip was only supposed to be a camping trip, they turned it into backpacking.
- Two of the boys explored up and down the hills surrounding our campsite and collected enough firewood for the whole evening.
- All of the students participated in a bushwacking adventure that included climbing a steep hill through rhododendron.
- All students at least put their feet in the water. One young man went in all the way (by accident) and several of us waded in above our knees. And the water was COLD!
- In the evening, the students patiently built a pyre–and they were rewarded for their work by succeeding in starting the fire with only one match.
Everyone helped cook our dinner of spaghetti and garlic bread–cutting up cheese and meat, helping stir the pot and make the sauce, mixing garlic butter, and toasting the bread over the fire. And of course EVERYONE made s’mores!- Everyone stayed relatively warm through the cold night. Though we awoke to chill temperatures, we were able to restart our fire (which we banked before bed) from the previous night’s coals.
- We efficiently packed up and hiked back to the bus, stopping for lunch and exploration at the waterfall.
- One student correctly identified a purple gentian using my wildflower book. Another student helped me identify a rattlesnake plantain (a plant, not an animal!)
During the trip, Catie remarked that we’d done a good job of providing lots of choices for the students. Her observation reminded me that choice is one of the keys to success on a Sure Foot trip. We follow the Montessori principal of letting children have freedom within very clear boundaries. Therefore, the guides’ role is to provide very clear options for almost all aspects of the trip. We do not say, “Do whatever you want!” We do not program every moment of the trip. Instead, in each situation, we provide two or three options that we (the adults) are comfortable with. On this trip, we were able to say, “What do you want to do next? We can go on a bushwacking, exploration adventure, we can take a day hike to the waterfall, or we can begin building a fire.” In this way, the kids truly take ownership over their experience, but we as guides have control over the options.
In almost every case, the students on this trip chose the more difficult, more adventurous option. We adults had to keep up–and we did so joyfully!
After our previous trip, which ended with rain, cold, and frustration, this trip was uplifting. One student declared, “I want to stay here as long as we can!”
Me too!
To view more photos of our trip, visit the Sure Foot Adventures Facebook page.
No Responses » Read or Post Your Own
Kingfisher October Camping Trip
October 16th, 2009 First-time Backpacking, Kingfisher Academy, Overnight, SwimmingNo Responses » Read or Post Your Own
All night, on the eve of this trip, I worried. But why? The students had been more well-prepared with their gear than most groups I work with. The kids were excited about the trip. I know and trust their teacher, who was my co-leader. The rain was going to hold off until the second day of our trip. I had checked and double-checked all group gear and we had plentyof good food packed. Why was I stressed? My only answer is that this was to be the first of four overnight trips with Kingfisher students this year and I wanted to get things off on the right foot. And, as you’ll read below, we did! I just need to be more like Buddha (as my wife likes to say), and stop worrying!
Though skies were gray when we left school, by the time we reached Gainesville, the clouds had broken. Our spirits lifted, and my heart beat faster with excitement. When we entered the woods, soft sunlight filtered through the leaves, and brought a glow to the world which, for several days prior, had been gloomy and wet.
One of my favorite things about each trip is adjusting participants’ backpacks. With just a few flips of my fingers, I can transform a backpack that hangs off your back or pinches your shoulders and readjust the weight so the proper 70% rides
on your hips and 30% is on your shoulders. The difference is amazing. I am able to see the fear in hikers’ eyes (”How will I ever carry this weight?”) change to confidence (”Wow, this isn’t so bad–I can do this!”). The key is a tight hip-belt. If you’ve been on a trip with me, you know I love tightening your hip-belt. The first time I pull the belt, participants say, “That’s too tight!” But they quickly realize that the weight on their back feels significantly lighter. Then they ask me to tighten it more.
After some pack adjustments, we walked the 1/2 mile to camp. I wasn’t sure how directive I’d need to be about camp tasks, but before I had dropped my pack, the kids had already started pitching their tents. Afterwards setting up camp, we brought our lunch to the waterfall and enjoyed cheese & summer sausage sandwiches, nutella, and peanut butter. Several kids waded in the cold water and dried themselves in the warm sun. And several of us climbed up the rocks of the waterfall to the very top, where we had an amazing view! In the end EVERY participant made it to the top of the falls.
We spent much of the afternoon building our fire. The wood was all wet from the previous days’ rain, but we decided to use only a lighter and materials we could find in the forest. As a team and with a lot of leadership from one young man, we did it. The fire never grew to a large size because of the damp wood. No one spent the huge amount of energy needed to tend it, but nevertheless, we were able to roast marshmallows that night.
I was pleased with so much about this group: they hung the rope and food bags on their own; I was not the only storyteller - three students told ghost stories; they efficiently cleaned their dishes without a fuss; and we completed a short night-hike without head lamps or flashlights!
There were frustrations, too. We had to tell the kids to be quiet over and over that night. Then, everyone awoke before the sun came up. I’m sure we all could have used more sleep.
Maybe there was some reason for rising early–it began raining around 4 am. We stayed dry in our tents and were able to eat breakfast under the big green tarp, but when it’s raining, dampness prevails. As a result, the second day was not as enjoyable as the first. Still, we had some adventures. Our group explored a hiking trail that became a game trail that became a bushwhack. We climbed through a small cave. We found and ate wild muscadine grapes. We even took a 30-minute walk in Dicks Creek!
Though we were all chilly and soaked by the time we reached the bus, we were satisfied to be a hard-core, adventurous group of campers. Then we drove home, dreaming of hot showers and clean clothes.
In the end, this trip proved that I had nothing to worry about. This group of 10 and 11 year-olds were naturals in the woods and I look forward to our next trip together.
To view more photos of our trip, visit the Sure Foot Adventures Facebook page.
No Responses » Read or Post Your Own
define your path
- Our partners include:
