Salish Sea Explorations Camp #2

The Salish Sea Explorations Camp #2 began with a big day at Whatcom Falls Park. After saying goodbye to the parents we had a brief meet and greet with a name game. The group was made up of a mix of Alevin, Red-Tailed Eyas, Salmander Efts, and one boy who was new to the group. Once we were oriented and familiar the group discussed which direction they should head into the park. This week would prove to be a journey of group process and challenge.

After we made the decision the group traveled into the park and feasted on Thimble and Blackberries. Eating our lunch we discussed what our intentions for the day were going to be. Summer is a freer time and it’s nice to be able to hand the power and vision for the day over to the group, allowing them to explore what makes their hearts sing.

Circling up some of the boys decided they wanted to go swim and others decided they wanted to carve. Compromising they followed the sounds of the river to a nice spot on the bank. Cresting a hill they saw another Wild Whatcom leader guiding a group of youngsters. The boys went into stealth mode as they stalked the group drawing closer and closer. However they were no match for the seasoned mentor Holly Roger with her excellent Deer Ears and awareness. While some boys carved others explored the rocky creek bed finding water striders, clams, and crayfish. Wading further up the creek we came to a rock under a small waterfall. Jumping off the rock we floated with the current back down to the rest of the group, what fun! Climbing out of the creek we headed up to the duck pond and finishedour lunches.  Looking at the clock the mentors realized that we only had two hours left!

Heading up to one of our favorite patches of forest we spent the rest of the day playing a game called Spider’s Web. The spider made a valiant effort but in the end gave up the food to the flies. We gave some thanks and told the boys to come ready for a challenging hill climb the next day.

Meeting at the Pine and Cedar Lakes trailhead the group circled up to find that one of the Explorers had brought a large piece of bamboo as a walking stick. One of the mentors snatched it up and offered the group a challenge, to lower the stick to the ground together as a group. This proved to be quite a challenge for the group and ended with some anger, frustration, and tears. Circling up we talked about the meaning behind this activity and its result. The group came to the realization that they had been blaming each other, criticizing, and being disrespectful during the process. This broke down their ability to work as a group. They learned that we must treat each other with respect and focus on how we can support and help the group during times of challenge.

Once morale was a little higher we studied the topographical map and realized how much distance and elevation we needed to cover. Grasping the Nettle the group started up hill. Keeping a steady pace we climbed and climbed up the flanks of the Chuckanuts. Along the way we feasted on Red Huckleberries and learned a few hazardous look-a-like plants; Baneberry, Twisted Stalk, and Devil’s Club. Ask your Explorer to identify them for you next time you’re out exploring; they’re important hazardous plants to know! Near the halfway point we spotted a fallen Red Alder. The group tracked the event that started the fall back to the recent rainstorms we had received last week. One of the mentors took out his saw and we harvested some green wood for carving. We also found a piece of the tree that had fallen over another snag and acted just like a teeter-totter. After a while of playing, the flies became unbearable and we decided to move on.

Climbing further still we came to a lunch spot. A few of the boys had spent most of the day talking about Mine Craft and the mentors took a moment to talk to the group about the importance of being present. When we take our focus outside of where we are at sometimes we lose out on the value and opportunities that the moment offers us. The mentors came to find that the attractive elements of the game were that it provided a space where the player had creative freedom, as well as autonomy and mastery over ones own journey. This was helpful to shed light on what the boys are missing in their day-to-day lives, and it called into question how we would best provide these elements within our programming. The group was challenged with the task of not abandoning the natural world while finding a healthy balance with their love for technology.

Looking at the clock the mentors realized that we wouldn’t have much time at the lakes with all the stops we had taken and encouraged the group to decide how they would prefer to spend the rest of their time. They choose the shorter and steeper of the two trails and mustered up some energy for a last push up the trail. Arriving at a junction between Pine and Cedar Lakes the group wrestled with their limited options due to time. They needed to give up their individual wants and learn to compromise and be thankful for the options that they did have. This would prove to be one of their biggest challenges of the week. In the Boys EC we have a motto that deals with this issue, We not Me. After a hard decision the group compromised and decided to go to Cedar Lake and look for Salamanders while others played Spider’s Web along its bank. The group was rewarded for their compromise, finding Rough Skinned Newts, Labrador Tea, and a carnivorous aquatic plant called Sun Dew living on its banks. Circling up we gave thanks and trudged back down the steep trail to meet our parents. Along the way a few of the boys trailed behind, still focused on the video game realm and not on the group task at hand. A group mindset is a skill that is cultivated over time and these boys are slowly learning. They really mustered their strength to meet the challenge of group process and the long climb to Pine and Cedar Lakes.

After the long trek the day before the group was ready for a mellow day at the beach. Heading out Marine Drive we arrived at Bakerview Beach via the Campbell’s property. The Campbell’s have generously offered to let us access the Nooksack delta from their home; we would like to offer them big thanks on behalf of all the Explorers. In their yard we applied a thick coat of sunscreen and headed for the beach. From the bluff we could see Mt. Baker, Bellingham, the Chuckanuts, and the Salish Sea. What a view! Heading out on the tide flats the group ran at full speed for a half a mile through the solar heated pools and sand until they hit the shore. Swimming and wrestling we enjoyed the summer weather until we were forced to retreat to the shade of the beach. On the way back we saw a large group of Blue Herons fishing in the flats and a dead Pacific Flounder. Tracking the mystery we wondered if the Herons were the culprits.

Eating lunch on the logs we carved and marveled at the sheer mass of the tidal flats. Heading out we wandered the beach, finding that there was a solid three-foot layer of saw dust and wood chips left over from Bellingham’s saw mill days. Our feet squished down like quick sand through the mulch and made fun oozing sounds. Suddenly one of the boys called, “Over here!” We all ran over to find the carcass of a Great Blue Heron decomposing on the beach. One mentor took his stick and gave the group a lesson in Osteology. We marveled at the long leg bones and massive pelvic muscle structure.

Heading back towards the shore we found one of our favorite places on the beach, which the Boys EC calls the Earth-Keeper’s Lair.  For years a gentleman has spent his time collecting beach debris and trash to create a paradise out of reclaimed items, which he calls the Jungle Hut. Recently he closed access to the space because of some vandalism that went on, although he kept it open to the Explorers because he believes in what we stand for. The mentors explained this to the boys and talked about the responsibility that comes with it. We all agreed to be fellow Earth-Keepers and to respect our community members. We roamed around the property and played music with the old steel buoys, as well as a game your Explorer can tell you more about called Where’s My Egg.

Packing up we headed out to the sand for a closing meeting. Sitting in a circle we gave some thanks for our ability to support one another and to rebuild our communities. Heading out a few of the Explorers chose to follow their own interests instead of moving with the group. The mentors shared with them that their actions were affecting the rest of the group and that they needed to leave their needs behind and continue to build the group mindset. Luckily they would get the opportunity to work as a group for two days straight in our campout, which started the next day.

Gathering at Samish Woods Montessori the group took Stubbs and headed out for Hovander Park. Arriving at Hovander we ate lunch in a field and practiced rolling and jumping over hay bales for nearly an hour. It felt as if we had created Explorers Club Cross Fit! Once we all were tired, itchy, and sweaty we headed across the park while playing games of Hide in the tall grass. Hovander Park allows the Explorers to stay on the property in exchange for the boys doing some service on the growing Japanese Knotweed problem along the river. As we got closer and closer to the Knotweed patch the Explorers started to track the diminishing species diversity until there was nothing left but Knotweed. Crawling through the Knotweed maze we felt like we were in a Bamboo forest. We bent the stalks down to give the Willow and Snowberry a chance to grow up and shade it out. We worked through the heat of the day and after some solid service decided to call it and head to the river.

On our way over to the river some of the group members stopped and sat down, redirecting the focus away from what the rest of the group wanted to do. This is one of those opportunities where mentors had the chance to lead from behind. The mentors let those boys take power away from the group and squirrel out for quite a while. After sensing a few of the boy’s frustration we called the group together for a meeting. We informed them that their time to go to the river had expired and we needed to transition to getting dinner and camp in order. We did not do this as a punishment but more as a natural consequence of not tuning into the group mindset, with the hope that the group would claim more ownership of their time in the future. Together we tried to come to a agreement on how we would work together, but it proved to be a challenge because some of the boys could not get out of the Me and into the We mindset.

Heading back over to Stubbs the mentors challenged the group to make a plan for setting up camp. The Explorers squirreled out for about an hour, vacillating between leadership and self-interest. Finally after a lot of compromise and struggle the group made a plan and got to work. It was great to see them working cohesively. This campout really set the foundation for some backpacking skills. Together they learned how to pitch tents, gather their smellables and protect them from rodents, cook dinner, wash dishes, and protect their gear from the elements. They should be proud of their work and efforts.

After dinner we watched the sun set and soon the mosquitoes started coming out in swarms. The group bundled up and we headed out for a night walk along the Tennant Lake boardwalk without headlamps! As we walked we could feel the heavy dew coming off the marsh and occasionally we would hear a Beaver slap its tail and a Muskrat slide into the water. Passing through the grass fields we soon got to the boardwalk. The Sweet Gale and Willows loomed over our heads, making it pitch black. Slowly and carefully we navigated the boardwalk like a group of young Shrews, each clasping to the tail of the other. Finding a peaceful spot the group lay down on the boardwalk and gazed up at the stars. After a spell we started to get tired and cold so we began to head back, but not before we filled up a gallon jug with the methane that was trapped under the decomposing wetland mud. Capping the jug we took out a lighter and held it to its mouth. A huge blue flame shot out of the jug and illuminated the marshland. Content with our exploration of the many mysteries within the wetland we headed back to the comfort of our shelters.

Waking up before the Explorers, the mentors cooked breakfast. After we gave some thanks and ate, the Explorers slowly broke camp and struggled to keep their focus. By that time they were ready to go as it was twelve o’clock and we had just enough time to make it over to the river for one last swim. Wandering the muddy banks of the Nooksack the Explorers dunked and floated in the river and tracked Canada Geese up the banks. What a great ending to our week together. We met one last time before heading out on Stubbs to share our gratitude for the week and reflect back on all our adventures.

The Explorers really Stretched their Edges this week by engaging in the process of group dynamics and really stepped outside of their comfort zones. Together they are learning how to set aside their own personal wants and desires to work towards the good of the whole. Using the tools of compassion, compromise, care, and listening these boys are growing into leaders and well-balanced males. The mentors would like to give thanks to all the parents for their support and work helping the boys learn and grow daily in their lives. We would also like to thank the staff and Tennant Lake for allowing us to camp out, and once again to the Campbell’s for their generosity.

For more pictures of the Salish Sea Camp #2 please check out the summer photo gallery. Thanks!