Camping at Haliburton Scout
Reserve can be an adventure for both scouts and leaders.
Unfortunately this statement can be taken many ways. This booklet is
meant to give you the little hints and tips that will help tilt that
experience to the positive. It is not meant to be an absolute "you
must do this" directive but rather a sample of what I have found to
work after 25 years of camping at HSR.
The scout motto was never so true than
when applied to your camping experience at HSR. If you come prepared
then you will spend less time dealing with the basics of living and
a lot more time enjoying all the wonderful opportunities that are
offered.
Living outdoors for a week is quite
different from surviving a weekend. If the weather turns inclement
on Monday there will be no hot showers and home-cooked meals to fix
it tomorrow. Plan for all possibilities and if weather stays good
and everyone stays healthy then you can say that you planned well.
Saturday, Getting to the Camp
If possible plan to arrive at HSR
approximately 12:00PM. The only access to the campsites is by barge
and as each group registers they are put into the queue for a barge.
Please be patient. Remember that the barge crews have probably been
ferrying the previous week’s campers out since 7:00 AM and are
trying their best to get you to your site as soon as they can. You
cannot check in until all of your party is there, and registration
is not open until 12:30 – 1:00PM. Bring a picnic lunch to eat while
you wait.
Registering
When you register you will need all the
paperwork that was sent to you, filled out. At that time the day and
time of your participation in the various programs will be confirmed
(Note: New for 2004 you can book your program on-line
before you go to HSR!). The secret of a good program at
Haliburton is to use the facilities that are there to their fullest.
Here are some guidelines that I use in planning the timing of
events.
- Schedule archery and rifle range back to
back
- Sailing works better logistically if scheduled in
the afternoon
- 9:00AM events are very hard to get to. If
possible select 10AM as your earliest start time
- Do not schedule wet events (kayak, snorkelling)
ahead of sitting events (trapper's cabin, survival)
- Do not schedule events Thursday morning (Thursday
afternoon is regatta day and you will need most of the morning to
get organized)
- Try to schedule most of the events as early in
the week as possible. If an event is rained out there is a
possibility it will be reschedule later on.
- Allow a sleep-in morning the day after the star
hike.
You will must also schedule when you want
your canoes on Sunday. I suggest that you schedule this as soon as
possible. Ideally the canoe lesson and the scouter's meeting should
overlap so that you can return to your site together. You will be
asked your preferred time to leave the following Saturday morning.
If parents are coming to meet you at the dock then pick a takeout
time that fits with their arrival time. Remember that to reduce
congestion, the sooner you can get your gear off the dock the
better.
When you load the barge for your trip to
the site, make sure items that can survive getting wet are stowed at
the front. This is especially true on windy days when there is a bit
of a chop on the lake. Personal gear should be put on last. When you
unload at the site have everyone take the gear well away from the
dock to a single dropping spot. This will speed up unloading and
ensure you know where to look for missing articles later
on.
What you will find
Each campsite has a supply of picnic
tables, several ˝ barrels with toilet seats attached (to be used for
your kybo), and an in-the-ground cooler. After that, you must bring
everything with you. For first timers, there are some items that you
might not think of.
Kitchen
- Grey water cannot be poured on the ground. A
wetpit will last longer if you line it with a tall (5 gallon)
bucket with its bottom cut out. This prevents erosion each time
you dump in dishwater. Put a stick down the centre to allow any
stray mouse to climb out.
- Ensure you have enough boxes (wood, plastic or
sheet metal) with fasteners to store your food. The raccoons and
skunks are very aggressive and will investigate everything except
tins (even jars)
- If you do any fishing and plan to eat the
results, come with a supply of freezer quality zip-lock bags. This
will let you store the filleted fish on ice without affecting the
other items in your cooler.
- Drinking water is available from several spots on
the lake and must be transported by boat to your site. Bring
enough 20 litre (5 gallon) jugs to last at least 1˝ days (remember
that dishwater can be taken from the lake!).
- Bring a waterproof container (plastic jar) for
matches.
- Cover the picnic tables in the eating area with
table clothes. This will allow you to properly wash the tables
after each meal. The table clothes can be as simple as garbage
bags slit open and taped in place with masking tape.
- Bring sufficient tarps to cover the cooking area,
the eating area and any craft area.
Patrol Sites
- Each patrol site (and leader site) should have a
container for drinking water, a wash basin, and a cloths
line
- Supply each patrol with a ball of binder twine
for camp gadgets (see the discussion on inspection later)
- Each tent should have a whisk
General
- A supply of plastic page protectors and
clipboards will allow you to post duty rosters, the daily
schedules, and other items without worry of moisture or
dirt.
- You will need a wet/dry board with 3 parts; a wet
(swimming), dry, and boats. This will help you keep track of the
campers.
- Come supplied with waterproof tape and pen and
put the camper's name on their life jacket and paddle.
- Your kybo will need some type of enclosure with a
roof. The easiest way to do this is to cut the bottom out of a
tourist tent. An adult should be able to stand up in the tent.
Include with each kybo set-up, a basin, and a large empty coffee
tin with lid for the toilet paper.
- Bring a large walk-in tent for supplies. A
prospector tent is ideal.
Menu Notes
Meals can consume a great deal of time if
you let them or even want them to. On the other hand there are so
many opportunities to participate in other activities that you might
want to reduce most meals to the minimum of time and effort so that
you can indeed "get on with it".
For items you intend to buy from the
country store, give them your anticipated daily order as soon as
possible. If they do not have any particular item, they can get it
from town. They will also thaw out your meat if you ask. This is
critical for the hot dogs if you intend to cook them over a fire.
Alternately you can pick up the meat the day before and ensure the
thaw yourself (probably the safest).
The chef makes great pies. Order these as
soon as possible. Here are some other hints.
- Give out liquorice as daily "prize" for neatness
etc. Black liquorice acts as a laxative and is needed early on to
encourage the youth to use the facilities. Change of diet, water,
and routines seems to encourage constipation.
- Keep a large cooler filled with fruit drink.
Activity in the sun will dehydrate the campers.
- Secret for good hot chocolate
- Add 1/2 cup of powdered skim milk per 1 cup
cold water (normal recipe calls for 1/3 cup). Heat and add
chocolate to taste.
- When you cook pasta put oil as well as extra salt
in the water. If you do not the noodles will congeal into a solid
mass because of the local water.
- Sandwiches are the easiest lunch. For a cool wet
day try canned spaghetti on toast. Roasted hot dogs over an open
fire works well if you do a day hike.
- One day do open fire cooking. Include a
cake.
- Instant pudding and canned fruit can be used
anytime for dessert
Program
Although the days seem to roll, one into
the next, as the week progresses, there are some special
considerations for some of the days.
Saturday, At the Camp
As a group, tour the site and plan
where you want to put things. Keep the eating area and central
activity area close to the dock.
Reconvene back at the picnic tables
and give everyone a can of pop. This will settle them down a bit
so that you can now go over the basic safety rules and
administration details.
Saturday Meeting
Safety
- Fires only in central fire pit
- The bush around the lake goes forever. Only
enter it with a buddy and try to keep the lake in sight. If you
get lost STOP. Do not wander about. Listen for the sound of
boats. The standard rescue technique is to run a high-powered
boat up and down the shore. When you think a rescue attempt
might have begun or that there might be others in the area yell.
Do not wander. Ideally everyone should carry a whistle (three
blasts means "HELP")
- Establish the rules concerning the use of the
"wet and dry" board.
- Ensure that all food including personal snack
food is stored centrally in one of the closed boxes. No food
should be stored in a sleeping tent at any time of the
day.
- Swim only during supervised swim periods in the
marked swim area.
- Life jackets must be worn when in any
boat.
- Do not drink water directly from the
lake.
- All medical problems, even the smallest scratch
must be reported to a leader
Administration
Establish patrol sites
Establish schedule for rest of
day
Put up sleeping tents
Work through "Saturday Job Jar". Post
this on a clip board.
Swim
Supper
THE SATURDAY JOB JAR
|
DO THESE JOBS
FIRST!
- Set up patrol tents.
- Set up supply (quartermaster)
tents.
- Stow personal gear in tent.
- Stow food in supply tent.
- Dig kybos and set up shelter.
|
NOW DO
THESE.
- Set up dining shelter.
- Stow equipment in supply tent.
- Dig wet pit.
- Set up kitchen shelter.
- Arrange picnic tables.
|
FINALLY DO
THESE!
- Collect wood for campfire.
- Relax!
|
General Hints
Although most scouters have their own
favourite techniques and tricks for making a camp work efficiently
the following have a unique advantage when used in a long term camp
such as a week at Haliburton:
When the kybos and wet pits are dug
make sure the earth is not spread around. It will be needed later
to occasionally cover the contents to lower the smell, and at the
end of the camp you must completely fill the hole.
Use a flag system at the kybo (an old
signalling flag works fine). I instruct everyone to take the flag
into the kybo with them and then replace it beside the wash bowl
(another item to bring) when they are done.
Keep all fishing gear in one place.
This avoids bare hooks, dead frogs, etc from being left around
sleeping tents.
Put all your food away in closed
containers before nightfall. Before you go to bed secure the lids
of your containers and put a big rock on the lid of the cold
pit.
Completely clear the kitchen area of
soap, Javex, matches, scrubbers, and anything else that the
raccoons may chew on. I stuff everything into my lantern box. Also
check the craft area for edibles (macaroni letters).
Sunday Schedule
Sunday Morning will be taken up with the
process of getting your canoes. At the assigned time a barge will
come to your site and take everyone to the hub. There the waterfront
people will give you a brief lesson on paddling and canoe safety.
You will then be allowed to pick out one canoe for every 3 people.
Put your site name on each of the canoes with a big piece of
waterproof tape. The good ones tend to wander when they are left
unattended at events.
The scouter's meeting is generally
scheduled during the morning about 10:00 to 11:00 AM.
On Sunday afternoon schedule a thorough
review of safety. Schedule lessons on axe and saw safety, fishing
rules and techniques, waterfront procedures and rescue ring toss,
and canoe over canoe rescue. A swimming test is also appropriate if
you have not actually seen the youth swim. Have them swim about 50
metres or so and then tread water for 5 minute. This will give you a
good idea of whom to limit during other water activities.
Sunday can be very hectic, but find some
time for a Scout's own. Once you have the camp set up and safety
procedures in place take a moment to stop, reflect, and set the tone
for the rest of the week. Give thanks for the unique experience that
is about to unfold. You will find many more opportunities as the
days progress to stop, wonder and appreciate, but there is something
special about the beginning of any adventure that helps focuses
us.
Every Day Routine
You should establish a certain routine so
that the campers know what to expect. If the routine has a point
system for the daily patrol competition associated, these activities
will be self starting. The following worked for me.
Flag break and Inspection
Hold a uniform (scarf) flag break every
morning and run through the day’s schedule. Announce any daily
inspection awards and ask for input on program. Follow the flag
break with an inspection of each patrol site. Use point system and
award daily prizes such as liquorice and a total week prize such as
a crest. Bring something unique for the daily winning patrol leader
to wear such as a bone that has been lacquered, and strung from a
lanyard. The inspection should include the following.
- Check each camper
- Washed hands, face
- Cleaned teeth
- Unreported cuts and scratches
- Sleep well
- Any other discomfort
- Check each tent
- Bed rolls folded out of the way
- Clean tent floor
- Smell of possible bed wetter
- Clothing put away
- Check area around tent for garbage (one step away
the first day, two steps away the next, three the next,
etc.)
- Award points for campsite improvements such as
gadgets, clotheslines, patio stones.
- All life jackets and paddles should be accounted
for
Special Events
There are several mass (all campers
invited) events that happen during the week.
The first is badge trading night, Tuesday
at the hub. Badge trading is a subculture of scouting and it is
alive and well at HSR. Even if you are not "into" trading is is
worth the trip to the hub to see the "badgers" in action!
The second event is the regatta on
Thursday afternoon. This is a "must" event. The excitement and the
fun of the event are something you do not want to miss. Make sure as
many as possible (if not all) of your scouts participate. The memory
of participation lasts a lot longer than the memory of standing on
the sidelines, watching someone else win. On cool days I give a
cookie to each participant as they returned from the event. It was
what I called a "chittery bite" and it took their mind off the fact
that they were wet and cold. It also helps if everyone cheers the
returning participants even if they come in last.
There is an opportunity Friday for a
youth member of your group to participate in a rifle competition and
another in an archery competition. Check with the program skippers
for the time.
There is a mass campfire Friday night
over at the hub. You will be expected to bring a song or skit to
contribute. Please avoid "Victim Skits". If you have never attended
a campfire with 500 people then this will be quite an experience.
You are also expected to return the canoes Friday night on your way
to the mass campfire. You will be barged back to your
site.
Campfires
One of the unfortunate truths is that
unless there is an incentive, the wood for the evening campfire will
not "just happen". Assign campfire responsibility daily by some
method you see as fair. The responsibility for campfire should
include gathering wood, setting the fire, lighting it when it is
time, and providing and conducting a simple program. I've found that
if the leaders conduct the campfire the first night it establishes
the expectations for the rest of the week. Put some formality into
the process, it gives the day a visible ending and it also gives the
leaders an opportunity to get a feeling of how the day went for the
campers.
I strongly recommend that the leaders
bring lawn chairs.
Canoeing to events
You must canoe to the various events
around the lake. One leader should have the responsibility to assign
people to canoes and ensuring the combinations will work. Put a
strong paddler in the stern of each canoe. There is plenty of time
and opportunity for friends to paddle together in the free time
periods. If it takes too long to paddle down the lake to an event
you will simply loose that time at the event.
Meals
In general meals should be as fast and
efficient as possible. Except when you plan a special meal as part
of your program you do not want preparation and cleanup to interfere
with other activities. Here are some thoughts.
Cook at the group level. Patrol level
cooking simply means you have to supervise 2 and 3 times as many
people, plus prepare your own food.
- A leader should work closely with the cooking
crew to ensure proper and efficient preparation.
- Establish a rigorous code for eating manners
- No food is served until everyone is sitting at
the table
- Everyone remains sitting unless given
permission to leave (to fetch something, get another helping,
wash dishes)
- All conversation will be polite and not design
to gross each other out
- Post duty rosters the evening before so
everyone knows what they are doing the next day. Keep patrols
together
- If possible use a communal set of dishes and
cutlery. This avoids individuals looking for lost items
- Plan the menu ahead but put enough flexibility
into the menu to allow changes needed for program.
- Each individual should wash their personal dishes
and the cleanup crew should wash the cooking utensils and clean
off the table and stoves
- In addition to the three-station washing include
a prewash (A large bucket with soapy water to get solids off the
plates.)
- The wash-up crew should put water on to heat
before they sit down to eat
- When pouring the used dishwater into the wet pit
start with the dirtiest, then pour the next dirtiest into the
previously emptied basins. This progressively rinses the basins
ending with the Chlorine water rinsing all the basins.
- Rinse scrubbers and dishcloths in the Chlorine
water then hang them to dry
- Put soap and water on griddles as soon as
possible (while they are still hot) and boil soapy water in pots
that are badly crusted.
Closing Down Camp
Although it is always sad to close down a
camp the smoother it goes the more likely you will have pleasant
memories of the week's experience. Schedule takedown. It will take
most of Friday afternoon to get ready to leave. Here is a checklist
and some hints.
- Take down all pioneer projects, gadgets, clothes
lines and burn all scraps of binder twine
- Close down all but one of the kybos
- Take down supply and quartermaster tents
- Take down all but one fly
- Organize your food boxes so that the food needed
for the next meals is separated and the rest is packed as
compactly as possible
- Close down the wet pit after supper
- Dismantle all fishing gear and get it ready for
travel
- Put all the packed gear close to the dock with a
tarp over it, ready to load on the barge
Saturday morning plan a cold breakfast.
Make a bunch of sandwiches Saturday morning and pack them in a
cooler for a quick lunch before you head home
Kybos and wet pits must be filled in to
the point you can stand on them. Make a cross from sticks and mark
where the holes were.
The site will be inspected for garbage,
properly filled pits, and general neatness.