On Friday September 19, 1997, four members of our crew set off for camp Tamaracouta. It was our very first trip together as a crew. The purpose of the trip was to help with an instructional camp being held for new cub and scout leaders. We arrived after dark and were shown to Rupert’s House where we were to set up camp. We pitched our two tents and Paul soon had a blazing fire started. We were visited by Mark, one of the Cub leaders participating in the camp. Unfortunately, Mr. Arsenault, who was very kind in driving us to camp, had a close encounter with a tree and a rock while walking through the forest. Luckily he was not seriously hurt and kept in good spirits (apart from a few mutterings following the crash).

The next morning we woke at 7am to find it was raining. It continued to rain and drizzle all day. However, our spirits weren’t damped, and we set to work trying to light a fire with the wood we had covered the previous night. Our first responsibility for the leaders was to have a fire ready for them to cook breakfast on. The leaders arrived just as we finally got our fire going. For breakfast we had oatmeal and "oeuf a l’orange". For all of us except Francois, it was our first (and perhaps last) oeuf a l’orange. To make this interesting breakfast, one first slices off the top of an orange. After scooping out all of the orange (and eating at least some of it) the fun begins. First a round slice of bacon is placed in the bottom of the orange. Then an egg is broken into the orange. Some like to shake it up a little for scrambled eggs. The lid is replaced and the orange is then carefully (carefully!) placed in the embers of what was a roaring fire. After letting the egg cook for a while (and the orange taste to seep into it¼) the orange is removed from the fire. The result is a mouth watering breakfast (of burnt orange tasting egg with a slice of raw bacon). The biggest advantage is of course that there are no dishes to wash (except for Paul’s pot).

After breakfast we briefly explained to the new leaders various safety factors that must be taken into consideration when camping. We demonstrated proper axe handling technique in a chopping area. We also talked about fire safety, water safety, hypothermia, and frostbite. For the remainder of the day we had no more responsibilities, so we decided to take a short hike out to the falls. It was a nice walk despite the rain, and we had some delicious soup for lunch near the falls. We also explored around camp Tamaracouta since two of us had never been.

For supper we had some delicious chicken shishkabobs marinated in exquisite sauce and cooked over the fire. We were generously driven home that evening by Mark the Cub Leader. All in all, despite the rain, we enjoyed ourselves and it was a good opportunity for us to get to know each other a little better.

Julian O'Flynn
Assistant Mate
The Wayfarers