Scout and Outdoors

Forget the overstuffed three-ring binder. Tablet computers are quietly taking over NFL locker rooms as the playbook of the 21st century.

These muscular sleds are powering a new breed of snow junkies—and a DIY take on heliskiing. They’re also igniting a cold war with skiers accustomed to having the mountain to themselves. We take a trip to try out the new style of the slopes.

Wayne takes time in another hectic week to pick up on some of the feedback he's had concerning recent blogs

As we mark World Cancer Day, we recognise the supportive environment scout groups can provide to members dealing with the effects of the disease.

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting some new content to the site. We've also had exciting news: Kontiki, the annual rafting event I have blogged about, will be hosted at Arrowe Park, the local campsite where my Scout Troop and Rover Crew meet. Expect lots of coverage from Ropes and Poles.

The previous post, documenting the Knight's Trebuchet, was featured on Google SketchUp's blog,  as part of the Make Ideas Real project. If you've built this or any other project from the blog, please let me know, I'd love to see your photographs


I've added a mobile template for the blog, so if you are viewing  it on a Webkit-based mobiel browser (Android, iOS, Blackberry 7) you'll see the compact mobile version - all of the same content, but formatted for your phone. The QRcode on the left links to this version if you want to take a look at it. You can also subscribe to the RSS feed, or sign up to recieve the posts via email

Prince Charles met scouts in Lewisham to discuss action on the issues affecting young people in some of the UK's hardest-hit areas.

WOSM has been invited to participate in the latest UN Violence Studies’ global survey. This survey was launched in the end of last year and at the conclusion of the survey, a report will be presented to the UN General Assembly later this year.

The United Nations launched their Study on Violence Against Children in 2006. At that time WOSM was involved in preparing the activity guides for children to understand and appreciate issues surrounding Violence Against Children, which was published as part of the study. World Scouting also contributed to the case studies featuring Scout projects from Egypt, Namibia and El Salvador. Further in the same year, WOSM participated in the writing and field-testing of the child friendly versions of the Study, which is since being widely used.

Q. I have a 45-degree Lafuma mummy sleeping bag and a 15-degree liner to go with it, so it becomes a 30-degree bag. My dad says I’ll be fine in the cold, but I’m not so sure. It gets pretty cold in the tri-state area. What do you think I should do?
— Worried Russell, Randolph, N.J.

A. I think you should give it a shot. Sleep a couple nights out in your bag and find out if it keeps you warm enough. If you’re worried, pitch a tent in the backyard so you’ll be close to home if you do get totally chilled. That said, here are some ways to stay warm inside your sleeping bag: (1) be sure to use a sleeping pad because that will help insulate you from the cold ground, which will quickly suck heat from your body; (2) consider sleeping in warm clothes, like a set of long underwear and wool socks. Also, wear an insulated stocking cap since you lose lots of body heat from the top of your head. Lastly, keep in mind, the temperature ratings on sleeping bags and liners are just general guidelines. It’s up to you to determine at what temperature you can still sleep comfortably in your sleeping bag.

Long ago, Greek astronomers gazed upon the stars and saw wandering bears, arrogant queens, brave hunters and charging bulls. Today, we call these star patterns “constellations.”

Here’s an easy way to trace your way from one winter constellation to another.

1. In the north winter sky, look for the Big Dipper constellation. It looks like an old well dipper, and is part of Ursa Major, the Great Bear.

2. At the “dipper” end, two stars nicknamed the Pointer Stars form a straight line to Polaris, the North Star. Polaris tips the end of the Little Dipper, also known as Ursa Minor, the Little Bear.

3. From Polaris, draw an imaginary line across the sky to a sideways M constellation recognized as Cassiopeia the Queen.

4. Turn your back to Polaris, and look for three stars in a row. These stars form the belt of Orion the Great Hunter.

5. Trace the belt stars down to the left, or east to the brightest star, Sirius, found in The Great Dog (Canis Major).

6. Trace the belt stars up to the right, or west to a V-shaped constellation, Taurus the Bull.

Ever since I saw Michael Palin visit the group Kodo in Japan as part of his Full Circle trip, I have had an interest in Japanaese Taiko Drumming.
Over the years, I have seen several groups in concert, in particlar the UK based Mugenkyo, who I have seen probably once a year for nearly 10 years.
Anyway, at one of their concerts, their leader Neil mentioned that the group run weekend workshops in a training centre in Lanarkshire. I mentoned this back home and I was given permission (!) to sign up.
So in 2010, I actually went on 3 weekends, and thoroughly enjoyed myself! On the third weekend, I was given an e:mail address of a group based in York, so just before Christmas 2010, I went along to one of their practice sessions.
Since then, I have practised with them on a weekly basis, and had some great experiences performing over the last year:
- at the York Railway Museum over Easter 2011, as part of the Japanese fortnight, celebrating the arrival of the Shincasen train at the museum
- at the Black Swan Folk Festival (as pictured)
- busking in York City centre
- taking part in the UK Taiko Festival in Exeter, including performing on stage!
- at a Karate Club annual presentation evening

In order to get to the practice sessions on a Sunday afternoon, myself and the rest of the family have had to make some compromises with respect to orienteering (sticking to events within 1 hour drive of York, taking two cars to events etc) and it's sometimes been a bit of a dash.

But after some 40 years of dedication to orienteering, sometimes to the exclusion of other things, I felt as though I needed to try something new and different - and I'm having such a good time, I certainly don't regret the change of emphasis!

From 12th- 21st January 2012, Scouts from Ethiopia and Kenya joined by Korean Scouts, had the experience of a lifetime by taking part in the 2nd World Scout Parliamentary Union’s (WSPU) Youth Exchange Programme (YEP). This aim was to give the opportunity to Scouts from member countries of WSPU/WOSM to travel to a different country (often for the first time), meet Scouts from other countries and have the chance to share their culture and traditions including their Scout activities and experiences. The programme also included group discussions on youth participation in decision-making and debating on the role of young people in today’s society in the context of the challenges that they face everyday.

Scout Bryony Balen is the youngest Briton to ski to the South Pole, tackling hostile conditions to reach her goal in the centenary year of Scott's expedition.

Queen's scout Bryony Balen is the youngest Briton to ski to the South Pole, tackling hostile conditions to reach her goal in the centenary year of Scott's expedition.

Queen Scout, Bryony Balen, is the youngest Briton to ski to the South Pole, tackling hostile conditions to reach her goal in the centenary year of Scott's expedition.

Chris Southerly investigates the history that sits at the bottom of America's waters, including Queen Anne's Revenge, the flagship of the pirate Blackbeard, which lies off the coast of North Carolina.

Continuing to work through his papers for an upcoming meeting, Wayne asks how we can improve awareness of what we do and also reflects on the benefit of getting others to help us recruit volunteers...

Q. When I get a new traditional lock-blade knife, it often messes up within the first hour. When I close it, the blade flips in and out and will not completely shut. Why isn’t it working?
— Bad Knife Jacob, Clinton, N.C.

A. Without seeing your knife first-hand it’s tough for me to say what’s wrong with it. My guess is that the knife itself wasn’t all that well-made in the first place. I understand that price is usually a concern for most of us, that’s why I’m happy there are knives out there like the SOG AutoClip Mini [$23; sogknives.com]. I’ve field-tested this simple, affordable lock-back knife with its 2.86-inch stainless-steel blade for months and can say it’s well-made and works perfectly. You can also find several other affordable lock-back options from Buck Knives and Gerber. Good luck!

As high-tech gadgets like smart phones, digital cameras, and GPS devices continue to find their way into the outdoors, we have to find ways to protect them. One of the best, and most affordable options is the Pelican 1020 Micro Case ($12; pelican.com). This rugged, little snap-to-close plastic box is water resistant, dustproof and crushproof and would easily fit a digital camera or GPS. Inside is a rubber liner that provides extra padding and creates a watertight seal. Although the Micro Case is not designed to be taken underwater, it’s strong, durable and watertight enough to protect your gear from just about anything the outdoors can throw at you. It also comes with a carabiner and is available in seven sizes to fit all kinds of electronics.

From 17-22 April 2012, the former European Rover Scout gathering ‘Agora’ goes global by extending participation to Rovers from all other Scout Regions of WOSM. The 1st Inter-Regional Agora will be held at the picturesque Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC) in Switzerland.

The educational programme for the Agora event uses the Scout Method to reach the educational objectives for the Rover age section with a special emphasis on youth empowerment. What makes an Agora special is that it is an event run for Rover Scouts, by Rover Scouts.

Wayne reflects on the adult good service awards scheme, highlights some anomalies and ponders on innovative ideas to improve...