Giligan's Island Castaway Camp
Article #R138.
==============
Gilligan's Island Castaway Camp
Larry King
The Leader, January 1989
Just sit right back
And you'll hear a tale,
A tale of a fateful trip,
That started from this tropic port,
Aboard this tiny ship....
(4th Leamington Cub Camp theme song borrowed from television's
Gilligan's Island)
On a late Friday afternoon near the end of June, the 4th
Leamington Cubs, Ont., gathered at Port Leamington United Church
ready to set sail for adventure at Camp Henry on Point Pelee.
Sometime between 5:30 and 6:00 p.m., their ship ran into a storm
and washed ashore on Gilligan's Island.
Thus began a weekend camp Cubs, leaders, and parent helpers will
long remember. The camp appealed to the Cubs' imaginations by
using a theme based on reruns of a popular TV show and put a
climax on a year of Cubbing by reinforcing their learning and
experiences.
To put together the program, the pack leadership team and a host
of parents and other helpers put heads together to review star
and badge requirements and highlights from the program year. Two
months before the camp, we asked sixers and seconds to feed into
the plans by telling us what activities the Cubs found the
"funnest" during the year. By making their suggestions part of
the program design, we came up with a truly Cub-centred camp.
It was also a camp the leaders much enjoyed. Because the Cubs had
done many of the activities in different settings during the
year, they knew how to tackle them. That kept campers eager and
involved and confusion to a minimum.
We learned the value of flexibility as well. Because of the
intense heat, we had to modify some of our fire plans and put the
elements into the program. When it was too hot to sleep on the
first night, for example, we took a night hike that became very
special. We stargazed, earned a little about how to tell
direction by night, and explored in the dark. Some of the new
Cubs had never before seen fireflies and were totally awe-struck.
All in all, our castaway camp was an unforgettable experience.
Nobody wanted to be rescued but even the best things must end. We
left our island paradise as good as we found it, ready for a new
and different type of Cub adventure this year. Pirates maybe?
Castaway Activities: Friday
The first activity began shortly after the Cubs washed ashore.
After salvaging and stowing equipment and supplies, they gathered
on the beach for a brief meeting and announcements on survival
and rescue strategy, then went to work.
Castaway Cabins:
Given burlap wrap, staple guns, and plenty of
tape and cattails, Cubs worked together to decorate their cabins,
inside and out, in appropriate island paradise style. Leaders
offered a few general suggestions and cautions, then stood back
ready to help if necessary as the castaways created.
In scorching tropical temperatures, the castaways find novel ways
to keep cool.
Skipper's Rafts & Signal Fires:
After making homes away from home, the castaways convened at the craft
area where sixes from
each cabin built a raft large enough to hold a signal fire. At
the lakeshore, Cubs laid and lit a tepee fire on their raft
before carefully launching it. Black Raven Six (Gilligan's Cabin)
managed the longest burn - 26 minutes! Before leaving the beach,
the castaways cleaned up all remnants of their first rescue bid.
Lovie Howell's Shellcraft Time:
Back at the craft area Lovie
waited. The wife of millionaire Thurston Howell III, Lovie
naturally loved jewels. Alas, there were no jewels on the island.
To remind her of civilization, she asked all the castaways to
make a necklace to wear. Supplied with a small wolf head cut from
1/8 inch plywood to be the focal point, a variety of beads and
shells, and a length of twine, the Cubs obliged. Some of the
castaways became so fond of their creations, they wore their
"jewels" for the whole weekend.
Professor's Rescue Signal Demonstration:
The castaways had tried
one method of signalling, but the ever-inventive professor put
together some chemicals distilled from the island's exotic plants
and soil to try a few other ideas. Because of the heat and high
fire hazard, we had to cut back on our planned fireworks display,
but we did use the beach as a launching pad to send up a few
rockets over the lake. Then came the unscheduled night hike, an
informal campfire, mug up, and bed.
Castaway Activities: Saturday
Hoping to supplement their diet, the castaways went beach fishing
before breakfast. Despite some adult help with casting techniques
and excellent bait, they had more practice than luck. After
breakfast, clean up, and the official camp opening, it was time
for...
Castaway Antics:
When you're in a scary situation stranded on a
deserted island, it's very important to make time for fun. And
fun was what the castaways had with the rescue jump, bosun's
chair, mast climb, and chief's litter.
The 4th Leamington Scouts set up the equipment and presided over
the activities. Five senior Cubs worked with them - a good way to
help them get a taste of what awaited them in the troop. The
castaways had a great time. "This is better than Boblo (Amusement
Park)," said one of the Cubs. When we asked why, he replied,
"Because we did it together." It's hard to beat an endorsement
like that !
Thurston Howell's Great Cash Find:
After mid-morning break, the
castaways were off on a treasure hunt. The eccentric millionaire
Thurston Howell III carried great amounts of cash with him
wherever he went, and his money landed on the island with him.
After the Kafooee tribe raided the island, Mr. Howell hid his
money in eight separate places. He retrieved one of the caches
but, before he could dig up the other seven, a falling coconut
bonked him on the head. He couldn't remember where they were or
where he'd hidden the maps he'd made.
Fortunately, Gilligan found the maps. Mr. Howell agreed that
those who found the money could keep it. Working in groups, the
Cubs set out with their maps to track down the loot. If they were
suc- cessful, they would have to return to camp where Mr. Howell
would give them a key to open the chest.
The treasure hunters never did find the major cache (nearly 2.5
kg of pennies), so we assume it is still there, somewhere 83
degrees and 200 paces from the flagpole. Ah well, next year.
Gilligan's Coconut Soccer & Fruity Baseball:
Because of the
exhausting heat, we played in the shade and turned soccer into
baseball, too. Catching a cracked coconut is a fun way to get
drench-ed and temporarily cool down. Oranges get pretty squishy
after a swack with a plastic bat and those who caught them
enjoyed a bit of cool sticky spray and a few refreshing bites of
very juicy orange pieces.
Beachcomber Ramble:
The castaways took an hour-long ramble on the
beach looking for a list of items and answering questions about
what they found. The items included
- a neat piece of driftwood
- purple sand (what is it? The clue was a sketch of a horseshoe
magnet)
- a fossil (how did it get here?)
- a stone (what kind is it?)
- a bird feather (what kind of bird dropped it?)
- garbage (where did it come from?)
Professor's Rescue Raft:
Since they were down at the beach, the
professor decided to put all the castaways to work to build a
rescue raft he'd designed from inner tubes, plywood, nails, and
rope.
When they were done, they tested it in the swimming area. Because
of the heat, the castaways enjoyed some extra time swimming,
splashing, and testing the raft.
Mary Ann's Luau:
While the castaways swam, the Bora Bora natives
dropped in for a visit and left Mary Ann all the sup-plies she
needed to put on a big South Pacific feast. And what a feast it
was. The castaways sat on the ground around a festive
flower-decked table. Before they received a plate for their food,
Mary Ann placed a lei of fruit-loops around each neck and waited
for the customary kiss. No kiss, no plate.
Needless to say, everyone got a plate, but there were no eating
utensils to go along with it. The Cubs happily used their fingers
to dig into "poi" (according to the cook, a combination of jello,
coconut, fruit cocktail and "certain thickening agents" decorated
with pineapple and fruit) and kebobs roasted over hot coals,
accompanied by buns and washed down with fruit drink.
Great Jewelry Hunt:
To work off some calories after their feast,
the castaways set out to search for Lovie Howell's jewels. It
seems that the Bora Bora did not just visit to bring gifts. In
return for the food they left, they lifted Lovie's jewels.
Because there were too many jewels to fit into their outrigger
canoe, they hid them in a secret location and left a number of
clues on an old tree trunk.
The professor figured out how to translate the clues from Bora
Bora to Cub language and gave a clue sheet to each six. The
successful six returned the jewels to camp and Thurston Howell
III was so happy, he gave all the castaways a reward.
Skipper's Balloon Burst:
Skipper figured everyone was ready for a
little fun. He inflated a dozen balloons, tied a weighted string
to each, and tossed them into the lake. The castaways tried out
their throwing skills by tossing rocks at the balloons to try to
break them.
Ginger's Great Extravaganza Talent Show:
Saturday wrapped up with
a gala event around the campfire. Cubs planned and presented
skits, Ginger brought down the house with a hilarious bit of
nonsense, everyone sang up a storm, and Cub James Brophey won the
marshmallow eating contest by stuffing 17 marshmallows in his
mouth at one time! You know a day has been a success when,
despite the 35 degree C temperatures, everyone falls fast asleep
as soon as the head hits the pillow.
Castaway Antics: Sunday
After a Scouts' Own with a "rescue" theme, the castaways
assembled for another attempt at signalling rescuers.
The Great Fly away:
After Baloo's hilarious demonstration of how
to make a great big booming voice sound like Tweety Bird with one
gulp, the Cubs filled balloons with helium, attached messages,
and sent them aloft. The messages explained they were at a Cub
castaway camp and asked finders to "rescue" them by writing to
the name and address given. By the end of the summer, six Cubs
had been "rescued". One received a reply from as far away as
Newport, New Jersey!
In sixes, the castaways also put together and flew inexpensive
easy-to-assemble kites. When they tired of that, they wrote their
names and a "rescue" message on the kites and attached helium-
filled balloons to carry them very high into the big winds.
Back To Civilization
Two highlights marked the close of the camp. One was an unplanned
Coast Guard helicopter pass over our island (rescue assured!).
The second was a nutty Kangaroo Court that allowed Cubs to take
revenge on their leaders, good sports all who suffered the
indignities of ice cubes in underwear, egg on the brain, and
water everywhere!
If you try to plan such a happening in advance, it can backfire,
but our leaders were ready to suggest possible offences (talking
with mouth full, talking with mouth empty, talking and permitting
contents of mouth to empty on shirt, not talking, reckless hand
and face washing, criminal loss of clothing, first degree
neatness, and the like), as well as possible sentences, including
egg handshakes, egg shampoos, a blindfold walk over hot coals
(ice cubes), and saying the promise with a mouth full of
marshmallows. The Cubs enjoyed many sweet moments "getting even"
after putting up with their leaders all through the year and
during their desperate castaway days.
After final clean up, we presented hand carved awards to the Cubs
going up to Scouts in the fall, crests and little gifts to
everyone, and many thanks and praise to all of the people who
made the camp such a success.
Now this was the tale
Of us castaways
We've been here for a long, long time;
We've had to make the best of things,
It's been an uphill climb.
The first mates and the Skipper, too
Have done their very best,
To make all of us comfortable,
In this tropic island nest.
No boat, TVs, no motor cars,
Not a single luxury,
Like Robinson Caruso,
It's been primitive as can be.
So join us here
Next year my friends,
You're sure to get a smile,
From all us stranded castaways,
Who've been on Gilligan's Isle.
(Camp closing song)
Scouter Larry King is Akela with the 4th Leamington Cubs, Ont.
---
Return to Jeff's Home Page
lifeguard@psu.edu