Camping along the shoreline of Oregon Inlet, North Carolina would be an opportune place to make lasting memories and have an overall fantastic experience. Supplies for Somers were bought, campfire dishes were packed, and all that was left to do was load our personal belongings Into our troop leader’s green minivan. We could hardly contain our excitement. Little did we know, the weather forecast that weekend was calling for severe thunderstorms. Packed and ready to go, we began the two-hour drive to Oregon Inlet In nearby North Carolina.
As e drew closer to our destination, we began to notice more and more gray clouds appearing in the sky. Hopeful, we shrugged them off as little rain clouds that would soon pass over; nothing would ruin our overnight camping trip. Shortly after our arrival, we pitched our three tents with a breath-taking view of the ocean Just to our right. Once the tents were set up, we prepared the fire pit to cook our dinner. As we excitedly began to roast hot dogs over an open fire, rain began to sprinkle down.
As we became discouraged, our troop leader told us that we could still cook dinner, in pit of the sprinkling rain. The minute she said this; however, rain began to pour down as If someone turned on a faucet in the sky. Quickly, we put out the fire and rushed Into our tents. Soon, we noticed many different troops leaving. We asked our troop leader if we could leave, but she told us that staying would create strong memories and help us learn to make the best out of any circumstance we are in.
As the night prevailed, winds blew faster, lighting flashed more often, and the thunder boomed almost constantly. We found ourselves In flooded tents and In an overall hazardous situation. Everyone in the troop was stricken with fear of what would happen. The troop assembled in a tent for a discussion of what we should do. Some suggested going home, others suggested staying in the tents, and still others suggested seeking refuge In the check-in lobby. However, my troop leader suddenly realized the perfect solution to our situation; we could all sleep in her minivan.
After this idea was realized, everyone gathered her things from the tents and rushed into he minivan through the heavy rain. It was then that everyone slept safely and soundly. The next morning, we were told that only two other troops had also stayed throughout the night. We all felt a sense of great pride and accomplishment, knowing that we had camped out through one of the roughest storms by the water that summer; even the Boy Scouts had left early. In the end, we three troops that stayed received ribbons for participation and bravery.
As unlikely as it may seem, that camping trip was, by far. He best encounter I have ever had with nature. I learned a lot about being content with the circumstances I face and making the most of each 1 OFF brave and have faith that everything will work out, even if the odds appear to be against me. Last, I received the great opportunity to bond with some of the most important people in my life at the time. All in all, this camping trip to Oregon Inlet in North Carolina was one of my best encounters with nature; I would not have planned the trip to be any other way.
