Summer 2013
10-12 days, 2 islands
- Honolulu, Oahu 1-2 days
- Big Island/Hawaii 8-10 days
12-15 scouts, 20 max. must be first class rank.
4-6 adults (including Frances Gorospe, Eric Aune)
Estimated Cost per person: $1750/person
Contact Person: Frances Gorospe
Sign-up will be started soon !!
Details: Hawaii Long-Term Plan
Purpose/Goal
- A long-term camp to provide an exciting, new & alternative scouting experience, high adventure trip which will include backpacking, hiking, and learning about Hawaii, the culture, history.
- Scouts earn Hawaiiana Award (see book and attached hand-out)
- This will not be a lounging vacation or R&R under the sun and palm trees. This will be high adventure outing, a true scouting outing.
Trip Report
by Jefferson Ma
The Hawaii long-term recently passed and the scouts who went had an amazing time. This outing was by far one of my favorite trips that the Troop has offered.
We departed from LAX at 8:40 A.M, June 23rd; only 3 days after school had ended. Our first flight brought us to Honolulu, and the second flight led the scouts to our real destination, Kona. We rented a van and drove up to BSA camp Honokai where we were happily greeted by the staff there and led to our campsite. The equipment that we were given from kindly lent to us by Troop 78.
The next day we began our first day of the Hawaiiana award where the scouts were divided into groups and sent out to the forest to find the perfect trees or branches for the hiking stick and lomi-lomi (back scratcher). After we retrieved the sticks we began removing the layers of bark on the stick. We were also assigned homework to make a 3-4 min. speech about the history of Hawaii. Later that day, we learned the hukilau dance, a Hawaiian dance based on fishing nets, from Auntie Kris, one of the Hawaiiana instructors. Auntie Kris also began teaching us the Hawaii national anthem, Hawai'i Pono'i. That night that camp held its opening campfire which the scouts were warmly welcomed into Hawaii.
The following day we started off with our reports of Hawaii, which everybody did a good job on. Afterwards we began digging up our imu, or underground oven, and helping out with forestry work. That afternoon we went to Waipio Valley where Aunty Margaret, an owner of a taro field in Waipio, gave us a ride down to the taro fields and was also kind enough to give a tour of the valley. Moreover, when we were being driven back up, we had a chance to eat different kinds of sugarcane that we were offered by a man who lived in Waipio. Afterwards, we went to a beach in Waipio.
On the third day, we first began by making coconut candy by first opening up the coconut husk, then cracking open the shell, drinking its juice, and then grating the insides of it. After we grated all the coconuts, we wrapped them up in T-leaves and put them over a fire to cook. While it cooked we continued our work in the forest by tearing out non-native plants and replacing them with native plants. When the coconut candy finished cooking, we took them out and began eating it and I personally thought that it tasted really amazing. Finally, to top off that day, we went to the famous Hapuna beach where most of us went body-surfing on the waves.
Thursday was a special day because we skipped class that day to go snorkeling at Kahalu’u Beach, which was an amazing experience because the water was very warm, the water was incredibly clear, and there was a countless amount of different species of fish in the water. Afterwards, we went to the place of refuge as part of the requirement for the Hawaiiana award.
On our final day at Camp Honokia, we were presented with T-leaf leis and sang the national anthem, Hawai'i Pono'I. Afterwards, we finished up the Hawaiiana and began cooking food for our luau in the imu we created. In the evening, we feasted on the pork butt, ginger chicken, poi, corned beef in taro leaves, sweet potato, fruits, and pineapple upside down cake which had tasted fantastic. Also, we attended the closing campfire and performed the hukilau in front of all the camp.
The next day, we broke down the campsite and headed to Troop 78 in Hilo to help wash all of the equipment that we borrowed and eat lunch with them. After we ate, we headed to Hilo’s farmer market where we went souvenir shopping and bought different kinds of food. Later that afternoon, we headed to a nearby river to go paddle boarding and kayaking. Afterwards, we headed to the Kilauea Military camp sleep there.
The next day we went to the Volcanoes National Park Museum and took a tour with a ranger who worked there. We also headed up to the Jagger museum where we could see the crater of Kilauea more clearly. Also, we took a hike down to the lava tubes that were created when lava had dried quickly and created a tunnel. Finally, at night, we went back to the Jagger museum so that we could see the lava in the crater glowing in the dark.
On our third day at Kilauea, we had a beach day where we went to two exotic beaches in Hawaii. First was Green Sand beach where chemicals in the water gave the sand a greenish tint. It was a wonderful beach; however, going there was a 3 mile hike which I believed was very rewarding. After we hiked back from Green Sand beach, we headed to Black Sand beach which was another beach that consisted of many black rocks and famous for their sea turtles that wandered the beach line.
We started the next day at the Kapoho Tide pools for snorkeling, which was really cool because the area was deeper then Kahalu’u Beach and the fish were bigger also. Afterwards, we went to the geothermal pool which was a nature made Jacuzzi. The pool was heated naturally through steam vents underneath the pool. Next, we headed to the Gorospe’s Hawaii house, Hale Gorospe where we ate lunch and many different kinds of pineapple and papayas. Finally, we went to Hilo Hattie, a souvenir shop in Hilo.
The next day, we woke up earlier to go to the airport and fly to Honolulu. When we arrived we first checked in at camp Pupukea, a summer camp located on the north shore of Oahu, and ate lunch there. After putting all of our luggage in our tents, we headed to the Polynesian Culture center to watch the different shows and a movie, attended a Luau, watched a boat parade, and finished off by watching the show that was put on, “Breath of Life”.
On July 4th, our final day at Hawaii, we headed to Pearl Harbor to perform a special flag ceremony on the USS Arizona Memorial. Also, we attended a guided tour on the USS Missouri with “Phil” and also had a chance to raise our flag there.
The Hawaii long term was a truly amazing trip and it couldn’t have been done without all the adult leaders and all the people in Hawaii who helped us experience Hawaii to the best. Finally, I would like to give a huge thanks to Mrs. Gorospe for coordinating and guiding the Hawaii long term. The whole thing was planned and organized by Mrs. Gorospe who even went to Hawaii to ask for all these favors. The trip would have been impossible without her so I am truly thankful for what you have done
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