Boy Scouts of America. Like them or not, I have very fond memories of spending my summers, and portions of the rest of the year, camping, fishing, or learning some skill that would eventually, against my will, prepare me to be a responsible man.
Camp Yawgoog is a Boy Scout Camp in Rhode Island's, Hope Valley. It's about 1800 acres of forest, (hear it comes... like isn't that the whole State?), where boys are allowed to be boys, so long as they stick to the Scout Oath, and the Scout Law, both of which are pretty serious to learn, live, and teach. I'm glad the camp still alive and well.
My 5 summers spent at Camp Yawgoog's Three Point Camp have been some of the best summer memories of my life. It is so hard to find places where young men, between the ages of 12 and 18 can explore, learn, and teach, with their peers free from the constant watchful adult eye.
What did I learn at Camp Yawgoog?
1. I sucked at archery, basket weaving, sharpening my hatchet, and being on time.
2. I wasn't as smart as I had been told. It took me four years to qualify sailboats, and five years to get my sailing merit badge.
3. "Swim Check!" (where leaders count people in, and more importantly ON the water), doesn't last nearly as long as it seems to inconvenience swimmers.
4. I learned that islands have a "wind shadow" behind them. In essence, no wind, means no sailing.
5. I learned that old, one sail, dory skiffs need a relatively stiff breeze in order to move. They tend to STOP behind islands.
6. Swimming in an old square orange life preserver sucks. It sucks even more when trying to "swim tow" (unlike Jack Lalane) a small 10 foot sail boat. It's no where near as graceful as you'd think.
7. The most stable a small sailboat will be, is on its side in the water... really!
8. Be sure your boat partner understands why he needs to be on the opposite side of the boat you're attempting to get into.
9. After they count "swimmers" at Sandy Beach, they count boats.
10. Missing sailboats cause Scout Masters some consternation.
11. Swamped sailboats, behind King Phillip Island cause something a bit more profound than consternation.
12. I learned that in breaking the established water front and sailing rules, I had also broken Trustworthy, Obedient, Thrifty, and Brave, of The Scout Law.
13. I'm a pretty bad lier.
14. I can recover from a near total screw up.
15. I learned that I'm a pretty darn good dish washer.
Troop 73, Providence!! (1972-1979!)
Campy Out!
