[gss-content-box]This article was written by scout Andrew D.[/gss-content-box]
At 5:00 am on the first day of spring break scouts and adults gathered at the Big 5 Parking lot. At 5:30 all of the scouts packed their gear into a car and headed off to the border of California and Arizona. The drive took several hours but we finally arrived at our destination, Pirates Cove.
The next morning Jerkwater Canoeing came to pick us up and take us to our first drop off destination. They took us up river (by car) ten miles and dropped us off and a parking lot in Needles CA.
We then got the whole spiel on how to be safe on the river. They also told us that some of the boats could produce a four foot wake, which later we found not to be true. We all paired up in twos and started down the river.
Mr. Johnston wanted us to stay on river right the whole way down, which we did. Not much happened on the river besides a lot of splashing and tipping of the canoes. That day was not as long as we thought it would be so we arrived at camp at 12:00 and ate lunch.
Then Mr. Johnson offered all us (except David who decided to drop dead on the ground and take a nap) to practice our skills for the canoe merit badge. We all had fun learning how to swamp a canoe and how to unswamp a canoe.
The last day on the river was the most fun of the days. We woke up very early so we would have enough time to do a seventeen mile trip down the river. We again paired up in twos and instead of getting picked up we left from our campsite on the river.
The river down stream was a lot more interesting because of how fast the water was moving and the view. Half way though a lot of the scouts got tired and just decided to have the river push them. I personally don’t know what happened up front because Mr. Ball, Ben, Sam, and myself linked canoes and said Bon Voyage to the people in front.
Shortly after that we grouped up at mile marker 14 and ate lunch and checked out some very cool hieroglyphics. After we got back on the river, we reached the sandbar where Jerkwater Canoe told us to meet and regroup. We then had a couple miles to go before we reached the bay where we would meet Jerkwater. Once we got to the bay we removed everything from the canoes and loaded them on the car. We then headed back to camp and made dinner.
Off to Joshua Tree
The next day we packed up camp and started for Joshua tree for our next destination. The drive took about two hours before we reached one of the nicest campsites I have ever stayed at.
Every scout was eager to get their tent set up and get climbing on those rocks. After a few hours of bouldering the scouts had fun, but it was time to make dinner and then hit the sack. That night was the windiest night I have ever camped out in. The tents were shaking so hard that no one could get sleep. But it was so worth it!
The last day we packed up and loaded the cars, but instead of driving away we meet with the rock climbing tour guides, Uprising. They already had the ropes set and ready to go climbing, so every scout was so eager to get a harness on and climb the courses.
We climbed for a few hours and then said hasta la vista to Joshua Tree and headed back to home sweet home.
