From July 17-21st, a group of Scouts from Camas, WA embarked on the journey of a lifetime. Seven boys and several parents completed a 50 mile scout trek on the Puget Sound. This was possible in part due to the preplanning of the Scoutmaster, and the generous contributions of several Oregon Ocean Paddling Society members who donated their extra kayaks for the week.  Thanks also to the members of South Sound Area Kayakers that provided helpful hints and guidance for the trip. We were fortunate to encounter good kayaking weather (ie rain) for much of the trip. There was, however, a lack of sunny periods after kayaking to dry clothing and tents. Having good picnic shelters was a bonus for this trip.

On Tuesday, we got started with exploration of Squaxin Island and some shore leave on Hope Island. The group was frequently fascinated by the large egg yolk like jellyfish in the water, and liked to find little crabs under rocks. In late afternoon, we found ourselves riding a strong current into Hammersly Inlet, easily reaching 6 miles an hour and occasionally 9 miles an hour with a little effort. We managed to see several seals and a bald eagle. I had a chance to practice crossing an eddyline after an unscheduled stop to adjust my drysuit. We had good accommodations booked that night at Walker Park.

On Wednesday, we had a late morning departure to catch the outgoing tide through Hammersly Inlet and Pickering Passage. After lunch at Lattimer’s Landing, we continued into Jarrell Cove State Park, where we camped among grass and trees and had our camp inspected by friendly deer.

On Thursday, we paddled out of camp amidst a rare patch of blue sky. Most raincoats and other protective gear had been removed, when we heard a rumbling behind us and turned to see “the Perfect Storm”. You could see the very edge of the storm approach as the contrast formed between still water and a sea boiling with the force of a pelting downpour. You could only watch as the storm engulfed each kayaker one by one, and all were thoroughly soaked by the time we entered Case Inlet. By this time, current had little effect on our forward progress, and McMicken Island did not seem to get any closer for some time. At McMicken Island, there was again a good array of sea life to discover. Some boys caught crabs for Fishing Merit Badge. After a three mile crossing, we pulled into Joemma Beach State Park, which had a good picnic shelter and some Marine Trail campsites.   

Friday, the boys geared up for a Wilderness Survival experience, where they were to build shelters at the Anderson Island Camp. They got through some good training on that morning. Nonetheless, shuttle problems were mounting when it takes 4-5 hours to drive to place that you can kayak to in a few hours. In addition, some our cars had some potential mechanical issues. Though the tidal schedule wasn't ideal, I rerouted the trip around a few islands back to Hope Island, to be near our launch spot at Arcadia point. We traveled there among varying conditions, with numerous waves, side winds, and rain, as we went through some relatively exposed portions of Dana Passage. It was fun, and a good challenge, though we had a few more stragglers along this route.

By the time we got near Arcadia Point, we had completed 50 miles. Due to the lateness of the hour and some car difficulties, we elected to end the activity about 12 hours early. One of the leaders went door to door, and was able to find the right obscure brake tool under miraculous circumstances. Our caravan of cars arrived home between 11pm and 1 am.   

Overall, the boys had a good experience and the chance to earn such awards as Camping, First Aid, Fishing, Kayaking, Wilderness Survival and the 50 miler award. Hopefully, it will be something they never forget. Thanks to all who made it possible.

Nathan