Daredevil’s Club Explorers must have had cabin fever all winter because they came to Fairhaven Park for the first outing of the spring with a ton of energy to explore outside and get dirty. We immediately made our way to the 100-Aker Woods, leaving our parents and the comforts of dry vehicles far behind.
This was the first outing for Noah and Remy who both made an impact throughout the outing participating fully and getting active. Welcome to the Daredevil’s Club guys!
After some introductions, Matt made no hesitation in introducing the Earth Skill for this spring: Water. This is one of the four crucial elements needed for outdoor survival. We would not be able to thrive without this important resource. As such, the Explorers had their first taste of trying to find water… but no one drank any of the findings!
We practiced carrying our water as a treasure, trying not to spill a drop. When we do not have access to the convenience of a running tap, it is vital that we safeguard our potable water. Explorers took the first steps in learning the importance of water conservation and protection through an obstacle course activity in the hawthorn trees and low-lying shrubs.
Everyone was itching to get into the forest, so we collected our things and hiked towards the old-growth cedars. We stopped in a clearing to talk about collecting water. All of the sudden the mentors swung their heads to the northwest as a shadow materialized in a lone Douglas Fir. Birds’ alarms were sharp, metallic, and abrupt, indicating an accipiter with a hunting intention. We then saw the Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) dive and weave like a lightning bolt through the forest.
After that uncommon birding opportunity, Explorers saw a demonstration of how water collects in a watershed. Then mentors gave Explorers five minutes to gather water they deemed to be most potable. During this Earth Skills Explosion, the Daredevil’s Club members got water from a number of locations in the immediate vicinity.
Some let the rain slowly collect and some went for muddy water pools; others looked for clues from vegetation and one looked carefully and discovered mosquito larvae growing in his water sample! Ask your Explorer where he collected water and where might be a good place to find potable water.
We trudged further into the forest and found some solace from the rain under the giant trees. We played Hide multiple times in a sword fern haven which made for fun and creative camouflage opportunities. Eventually our playfulness got the better of us and we shifted our focus to participate in Spider’s Web. How wonderful it was to crawl around in the forest again!
The outing was coming to a close so we made our way back to the vehicles. Before practicing the motto Attitude of Gratitude with a Circle of Thanks, we discussed how we might most efficiently collect rain water for drinking. Ask your Explorer how!
The rain seemed to set a fun tone for our first outing of the season. Thank you Explorers for your energy and willingness to learn about and play in the water. Parents, thank you for your support and encouragement of your Explorers and this program. We’d like to remind you to check out the photo gallery and peruse the website to be prepared for next outing on March 24th. See you then!
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