Eco-Urban
Kayak Excursion
Ages 13-16
With this trip we are trying something new. An
Eco-Urban Excursion combines the best of both worlds: the
beauty of nature and the excitement of the city. While
Alton Jones is all about the natural world, we recognize that
urban areas are critical to our country, even to our environmental
heritage. So this year, for the week of the Fourth of
July, we are combining kayaking in one of our country's
ecological treasures with a visit to Philadelphia, one of our
country's urban treasures.
Your
expedition will begin at
the W. Alton Jones Campus where you will spend Sunday night at
the Expeditions Base Camp. During this time there will be
games and activities that will help you get to know your trip
mates. You will learn and practice specific camping skills
while examining the details of your trip and organizing
equipment.
On
Monday morning, we will drive to the Assateague Island National Seashore
in Maryland by passenger van, about a seven hour drive, where we
will spend most of the week. We will establish base camp at a
National Park Service campground, which will be minutes away from
where the activities are located.
We will use the rest of the afternoon exploring the
area. Tuesday morning and early afternoon, we will begin our
adventure with an eco-guided tour through the salt marshes and
bays where we will catch some rays and look for horseshoe crabs,
terrapins, and moon snails. Lunch
each day will be on dry land in a scenic spot where we can not
only enjoy our meal but also enjoy the sights of nature.
Wednesday
morning, we head off on a second kayak tour in a different
area of the National Seashore. This time
we will maneuver
through the salt marsh to search for wild ponies and Sitka
deer. After
lunch, we will kayak over to the ocean side of the island to
explore the seashore and catch some waves. Wednesday late
afternoon after a full day of
kayaking, we will dry off at the beach.
Thursday after a light breakfast, we will pack up and head to
Philadelphia, which is a two hour trip north. There we will
explore what many consider to be the birthplace of our
country. Once in the city we will visit all the main historical tourists sites from the Liberty
Bell to Betsy Ross’ house. Our timing couldn’t be better
since we will be in the city during the week leading up to
July 4th. (We will be there on July 2nd.) After a
fulfilling day of sightseeing, we will head back to the van
and make our way to our campsite which is 30 minutes away at
Wharton State Forest.
Friday,
we will get up early and make the trip back to Alton Jones and will arrive back
at camp around noon.
At the end of each day, when we return to the campground, everyone
will share in the responsibilities of getting water, cooking
supper, and cleaning up afterwards. While camping out
the group will learn and practice concentrated impact camping
techniques. This involves camping in such a manner that will
preserve the beauty of the area. This is achieved by
carrying out trash, using biodegradable soap, respecting natural
inhabitants, and properly disposing of waste. At
Alton Jones, an emphasis
is always placed on being as sensitive as possible to the natural areas
that we visit.
Participants of the Eco-Urban Kayak Excursion should be in
reasonably good physical condition that will enable you to swim, and paddle sometimes more than six hours (with
adequate rest stops). If you are unsure of your physical
condition, do some exercising before the trip. Bike
riding, jogging, swimming, push-ups, sit-ups, and lots of
brisk walking are some good ways to get muscles in shape and
build stamina. All participants are expected to
cooperate with fellow group members and leaders and abide by
all safety rules.
In preparing for the expedition, you may want to spend some
time thinking about why you have chosen this trip and what you
hope to learn from your Eco-Urban adventure. If you have
never been kayaking before, relax. Experience is not a
requirement, but a positive attitude and a willingness to have
fun while learning is!
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