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| This Activity is meant for Boy Scouts. Decide for yourself if it is appropriate for your younger scouts or not. | |
| Required: | 4 sturdy milk crates or short, wide logs. 2 1-foot poles or broomsticks. Four 10-foot ropes. 14 4-foot ropes If using a 12 foot gap, Four 8-foot poles or six 6-foot poles If using a 20 foot gap, Six 8-foot poles |
| Preparation: | Mark off Falcon Island - a 10 foot circle. Mark off the mainland - another circle around the island, either 12 or 20 feet out from it. Place all the equipment on the island except for 2 10-foot ropes, half the long poles, 1 short pole, and 2 milk crates |
| Notes: | This activity promotes patrol problem solving, knot skills, and teamwork. |
| All patrol members except the patrol leader and assistant stand on the island. While on a hike without their patrol leader, the patrol crossed a rickety bridge to Falcon Island. Just as they stepped off, the bridge disintegrated and fell into Falcon Gap to be swept away by Falcon River. Now, the patrol is stranded and trying to figure out how to escape the island. Luckily, their patrol leader and assistant have come looking for them. Using only the materials provided, the team must rescue all the patrol members from Falcon Island and leave no trace that they were ever there. Rules:
Reflect:
One solution is to lash the poles together with a shear lashing to form two pieces long enough to bridge the gap. Then, lay each end of them on a milkcrate and people walk across the narrow walkway. There is danger of falling off this bridge, but it is fast. Another solution would be to lash the poles. Then, place on milkcrates and use the short poles to keep them a foot apart. Tie the end of a short rope to each long pole. Repeat, tying another rope every foot or so, making a bridge of ropes between the long poles. If the ends of the long poles are tied to the milkcrates, once everyone is across they can lift the bridge completely off the island. | |
Falcon Island Rescue Activity 
