On to the French Santee!!!

I'm looking forward to our weekend on the French Santee. Last week the scouts received a little background on those early colonists in Carolina, who arrived in the 1680's and 1690's. I know at least a few of our troop are descended from those hardy, French Calvinists (the scoutmaster is one...), and one of our scouts retains a Huguenot name (clue...it begins with a Gig...).

Some of our younger scouts who did not finish the canoe merit badge in August will do so on the Wambaw Creek, which flows into Hampton creek and the French (South) Santee.

We will visit a French Huguenot plantation, Hampton Plantation, originally settled by the Horry family and later owned by descendents of the Horry's, the Rutledges. Archibald Rutledge, our 1st state poet laureate, owned it last and gave it to the state upon his death in 1973. In the picture on the left we see the "Washington Oak" in front of the house, the house was added on to several times and contains a ballroom and fake windows. It also had a secret tunnel to the river at one time. This is actually the back of the house as the front faces the river, the main road back in colonial days.


As of Sunday night, 25 January, the forecast for this weekend is: Friday night partly cloudy, low of 30. Saturday sunny high of 54. Saturday night low of 31 and Sunday sunny high of 57. We may get our polar bear award, so scouts dress warmly and have a good sleeping bag and insulated pad for your bag.

Astronomy on Saturday night with my 5 inch reflector should be superb in the dark skies of the French Santee.

Thanks to the scouts who showed on Saturday to do chuck box preparation. They did a great job and are now well prepared for the camping cooking experience as former scoutmaster and superb cook Joe Coates will be with us this weekend to help instruct our newer scouts in outdoor cooking. Laissez le bon temps rouler!!!

January '09 Update

Scouts and Parents,

A few updates for you...Congratulations to our first of 2009...New Eagle Scout Mattias Miklancic!!! Mattias' preparation for his Eagle board showed last night as he answered a plethora of questions from an inquiring board.

News from Council...

1. Scouts interested in serving at Ho Non Wah need to get their applications in to council. Counselor in Training must be 14 and at least 1st class. Counselors must be 15 and at least a Star. Positions will be filled by the end of February so if you are interested....
2. National Youth Leadership Training will be held 27-29 March and 03-05 April. This is the BSA's advanced leadership training. Our troop will sponsor at least one scout (fee-$100), but we possibly could send another. Contact me if you are interested.
3. 2010 National Jamboree (100th anniversary website ) is coming up next year. Waring and I will be putting in applications to attend. The council will select those who go to the jamboree.

I will be sending out the permission form and information on our upcoming camping trip to the French Santee later today or tomorrow.

Congratulations to Eagle Scout Wythe Crisler for being the first (as expected) to utilize our new Patrol Leaders Council blog. Check it out...it is listed in my favorite links on the upper left of my blog...I hope to see a lot of scout blogging this year...

Great start to the New Year!

Congratulations to Mr. Jeff Donaldson on his superb job of organizing our Junior Leader Training day last Saturday. We had 15 scouts show up (most of the PLC). They had a great time and learned a few leadership lessons.

Other scouters who assisted Mr. Donaldson were Mr. Cochran, Dr. Aiken, Mr. Kiel and Mr. Miklancic. The scouts went over goal setting, planning, conflict resolution, communications and team building skills. A great start for our new PLC team!