Camp OKLAWAHA - Gulf Stream Council

Well, if you didn't go, you really missed out on a really GREAT TIME at a GREAT campground.  Twenty-eight Scouts, five leaders and two adults went to Camp Oklawaha, a Scout owned camp, in Sebastian, and had more fun than two cats inside a burlap sack!   Camp Oklawaha, a part of the Gulf Stream Council was donated by The Smith family in 1953, to be forever used as a Scout Camp, that can never be sold.  We were hosted by Ranger Robert that was so gracious in providing us with a Pavillion and plenty of patrol sites for use by our Patrols.  Along with the Pavillion, which also had a kitchen, bathrooms, and hot showers, we also had use of the Amphitheater, the Chapel, Canoe Lake, Memorial Point, Ratman's Island, Sebastion Inlet access, plus over 60 acres of beautiful Oak Trees with hanging Spanish Moss,  shaded terrain. 

It just could not get any better than this!  Upon arriving Friday night, we all pitched in to get our sites ready for the weekend.  A hot and steamy Spaghetti Dinner was presented Troop style, to take care of dinner, as our new Patrol Leaders readied themselves to participated at their Patrol Leader Council and Crackerbarrel.  At this meeting they went over the Camp Schedule and received information on the weekend events.  They also met to discuss our Service Project for the Camp, provided by the Barbarians, to recover and if possible, repair the floating dock, and for the Rams, Cobras, and Scorpions to clean up the Pavillion work areas.  As the sun went down, everyone got into a game of sandlot football or lazed around their campsites, as they prepared for the next day's activities.

Our Saturday started early and went long into the night, as we were able to get in tons of activities including, Patrol Method Training, Basic Compass/GPS and Orienteering, Hiking and Map Reading, Meal Preparation, Camp Stove Cooking, Safety Afloat Training, Boy Scout Canoeing, Firebuilding, and Open Campfire Cooking.  After patrol breakfast, we all got together to learn about Compass/GPS and Hiking, led by Mr. Cohen and Mr. Steve, later taking two teams hiking and exploring the campsite trails.  On one leg of our hike, we crossed over a wooden bridge and got to visit Ratman's Island where Mr. Rawls spotted some Manatees for the Scouts to see.  Returning to camp, some Scouts elected to continue hiking and earn their 5 mile hiking requirements, while others returned to camp for lunch. 

After lunch we had a brief Patrol time and then changed into swim attire and water shoes for Mr. Horowitz's Safety afloat and Canoe training, down by the lake.  After orientation, we spent hours gliding across the lake and getting the new scouts ready for next month's canoeing event.  The older Barbarian Patrol was given permission to portage their canoes over land and with supervision, put in at a secluded grotto behind the camp. This access allowed themto navigate around more hidden coves, and eventually to the Sebastion Inlet.  On their trip they canoed around island formations, visited remote summer cottage sites, and beached on a sandbar to rest before catching the incoming tide and returning to camp for dinner.  Meanwhile back at the lake, the other scouts continued to canoe and later jumped in for an afternoon of swimming and splashing fun.

What a beautiful day and what a great time we had on Saturday.  The weather worked out well, with minor cloud cover but sunny skies, and only a brief shower towards the end. After swimming and canoeing, the Scouts changed back into Class A to begin their Firebuilding and Open Campfire cooking.  We all met at the Amphitheater Fire ring for training by all the leaders, into building and starting three different styles of campfire.  "Where there is smoke, there's fire"  As the air filled with smoke, it wasn't long before five individaul campfires roared to life, as the scouts prepared their dinner meals.  Dinner was just awesome with Grubmasters and their helpers whipping up plentiful and delicious meals for their Patrols.  After dinner cleanup, our resident chef Mr. Cohen, pleased the crowd with his famous "Dump Cake" as a Troop dessert.  Too stuffed to move, some Scouts retired back to their campsites, while others played games under the Pavillion.  The evening rain caused us to cancel our Campfire Skits until the next campout.  We were all both too tired and too stuffed anyway!

A great thunderstorm cooled us off overnight, and lulled everyone to sweet dreams, as both boys and staff rested their weary bones with full bellies.  The morning sun woke us up on Sunday to prepare our last meal and get  us ready for Scout's Own.  "A Scout is Reverent".  SPL Michael N. and the Barbarian Patrol put together a morning program to give thanks for all that we have. After inspirational passages by some of the leadership, and responsive reading by all the Scouts, SM Weber shared his prayer and his reflections of the weekend's events.  This led to each Scout and leader sharing their thoughts as we have come to call them, "Thorns and Roses". 

Before dismissing the Patrol to pick up camp, Ranger Robert came by to address out Troop.  He told us that he had watched us from a distance all weekend, and he told us that it had been many years since he had witnessed a Troop truly led by the Patrol Method.  He commended our fine manners, our respect for the camp by living up to the Outdoor Code, and for all the projects and events that we had done while at Camp Oklawaha.  He told us that he had never seen a finer Troop than ours, and that as far as he was concerned, "The gates of Camp Oklawaha will always be open to Troop 309". What a true accolade and tribute to us, that a Scouter such at Ranger Robert, with many years of experience, would bless us with that message.  With that, our SPL Michael, called the Patrols to "Scouts Attention!" and then "Scout Salute", as each Scout sharply saluted Ranger Robert for his dedication to Scouting.  As he returned our salute, Ranger Robert wished us a safe journey, and invited us to come back soon.  What a memorable morning!   

After changing back to class B uniforms, everyone scurried to get our gear cleaned up and stowed away.  Then after final cleanup of the facilities, we broke down our campsites and packed our overpacked trailer and vehicles for home.

Many thanks for the leaders that put in many hours of preparation and planning, to make this event a huge success! A special thanks to Jay and Cecilia for helping with transportation.   

 And for those of you that did not attend, hopefully you can join us next month, sadly missed were the Scouts in the Thunderbolt Patrol,  because you really missed a great campout !!!   Look below to see some of the pictures.