Falcon Island Rescue Activity

This Activity is meant for Scouts BSA.

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

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

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:

• Anything that touches the ground within the two circles indicating Falcon Gap is immediately lost.
• Any person that touches Falcon Gap dies and the team loses or starts over.
• Nothing can be left on Falcon Island when the team escapes.

Reflect:

• What made this activity difficult?
• Did the two groups work separately or as a single team?
• What skills did you use?
• How did you reach your plan? Were everyone's ideas given and evaluated?

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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.