When and why did you decide to take an Hurricane Island Outward Bound School program?
I did a fall semester “Naturalist Explorer” course in 1986. A teacher and neighbor, Lynn Koester, who was a strong advocate of HIOBS, encouraged me for a long time to try it. I was looking for a difference experience coupled with starting college, and signed up for the first half of my sophomore year to do the 3 month Maine/Chesapeake/Keys course.
What was the most unexpected thing about your course?
Learning how to make a great meal out of moldy bread, or how refreshing a glass of dirty iodine stream water can be after an all day canoe portage.
What was your favorite part of the course?
My favorite part of the course had to be the third leg spending a month sailing in the Florida Keys. By that time our bodies and minds were well conditioned, and our skills quite developed. Our teams and crew really clicked by then. It was the first time we were actually warm too.
How did you feel at the end of the program?
I definitely felt like I accomplished something, and sure was in good shape. It is still great running into someone else who has done an OB course, you both feel like you know something others don’t. It’s hard to get it if you haven’t experienced it.
How did your learnings from course extend to your life back home?
It’s your show and responsibility to get it done with your team.
What has been your biggest takeaway from Outward Bound?
Figuring out how to make something work with really limited resources in extreme and changing conditions when you definitely don’t want to do it. Sort of gets you ready for what is coming after the course is done.
Why should others consider a HIOBS semester program over other semester programs?
The great thing about a semester course is it allows you to completely engage in it, as it is hard to even picture the end because you have so much ahead of you. You become an expert at outdoor skills, but you mostly learn how to deal with situations you never thought you’d be in. If I remember correctly back then HIOBS just had the one semester program, and it great to seen now they have several semester and gap year courses.
What have you been doing since your Outward Bound days?
I have done extensive sailing, climbing, and kayaking in various places including California, Colorado, Caribbean, and Central and South America. I have owned and ran several businesses. I’ve also been a strong promoter of Outward Bound, and have seen almost a dozen of my family and friends do various courses over the years.