Presto! The Barred Owls change an exploration into a traverse at Lake Padden

We haven’t lacked for weather this fall, have we? Wild Whatcom’s first day of outings this season was cancelled and the outings rescheduled due to high winds and the storms have been pretty persistent since. Sunday was no different. With a high wind warning for mid-afternoon, we decided to play it safe and switch from our planned exploration to a traverse to the Lake Padden dog park area, which would put us in easy striking distance of an open field away from forest hazards should the winds come early. We also recruited the explorers to track the weather. Awareness of the vicissitudes of our natural surroundings is a key component of self-reliance in the outdoors.

With our senses heightened, we strode confidently into Lake Padden park (from Galby Lane) and circled up for our opening meeting. The Barred Owls (note that we’ve dropped the “et” because we’ve been at this for a while now - no longer babies) have come a long way from last fall when we were just learning how to respect each other in our meetings. Remember the five finger contract? We barely find the need to invoke it anymore. Always more work to do, of course, but the mentors are grateful for the progress these boys have made. 

OK, jobs assigned and caution about the weather expressed, we were off to decide on a spot to practice our skill for the fall - shelter building. I trust the reader is well aware that when we work on a skill the mentors aren’t just interested in a shelter or a spoon carved from a fallen tree. Along with the aforementioned self-reliance, we look for traits such as problem solving (motto - Turn problems into possibilities), teamwork (motto - Many hands make light work), careful effort (motto - Slow is fast and fast is slow), focus and more. The Barred Owls are interested in moving on to carving, as most groups are at about this age. So Joey and I talked with the boys about the behaviors we’re looking for as we consider their readiness for that activity. 

We’re going to have to work on our stump speech, because their effort was inconsistent at best. Not surprisingly, some boys’ work was more disciplined than others. We all learn and develop at our own pace. Overall, however, our assessment was that the Barred Owls, as a group, aren’t ready. Brian (Joey’s off to Nicaragua for 12 - 18 months to teach, travel and explore) will look for signs of improved readiness when we reconvene in the spring; progress can happen rapidly at this age.

With the shelter built, we had some lunch (with a watchful eye on the wind), then moved down the trail to be closer to the dog park area and the open field. Along the way, we found an intriguing spot to play that Explorers Club favorite, Spider’s Web. In another example of the Barred Owls’ progress, we were able to resolve a conflict concerning who would be the spider thanks to some nice work by our tribal elder and a quick Rock, Paper, Scissors match. 

Spider’s Web is about stealth and resourcefulness. The spider guards the “food source” while the flies (everyone else) try to capture it and return it to the web. On our selected course, the food source was uphill from the web, which provided the spider with a high perch from which to call out the flies. After a few trips back to the web, the flies had to raise their game by selecting new routes, moving more stealthily, and possibly collaborating with fellow spies. 

Then something interesting happened: the spider changed identities. I’m not sure how that happened or why, but half way through, the spider and one of the flies switched roles. Hmmmm. Curiously, the rest of the spies just played on as if it was the most natural thing! The game ended when the muddied flies managed to return the food source to the web.

It was after two now and still little wind. It was beginning to dawn on us that we were going to make it through without having to dash for the field! After hiking the rest of the way down, we circled up again for our last meeting of the season. We gave thanks, said “So long!” to Joey and talked about where we might want to go in the spring. The allure of the Salish Sea was evident as both Clayton Beach and Teddy Bear Cove were suggested. 

As I see it, the Barred Owls have moved through the Forming and Storming stages of group developmentand are now Norming as they mature and internalize the Boys Explorers Club culture. It’s been rewarding to watch them morph from a collection of rascally individuals to a loosely formed cohort. I’m looking forward eagerly to their continued evolution and their emergence as a Performing team.

Click here to look at the rest of the photos from our traverse.

Also, note that we have a schedule of outings in the winter in which your explorer might have an interest. Have a peaceful holiday season. I'm looking forward to seeing you in the spring.