Ask Captain Dramatic

Dad-E, Captain Dramatic and myself were all camping this weekend with the cub scouts at Davis Creek. It was a beautiful camp ground that is frequented by many people every year, as well as two male bears. The park rangers were sure to warn us of this as it was a given that the bears would wander into our camp at some point this weekend. All of the food had to be locked up in bear boxes for safety reasons, and as an added precaution tent checks were done nightly to ensure that the children hadn't decided to hide snacks in their tents.

On Saturday night we were all around the camp fire. Well, ok, not a camp fire. Campfires were prohibited due to the high fire danger, but bar-b-q's weren't as charcoal doesn't snap, crackle, and pop and send embers into the air. We were all around the bar-b-q, singing songs and playing games, and roasting marshmallows when we heard a a noise. A loud noise that sounded like twigs snapping (maybe even branches by the sound it put off) under the feet of something heavy. We all got really quiet, and started shining flashlights and lanterns in the direction of the noise. In the dark, all you could see were the glow of eyes as the light hit them. It was one of the parks bears. He was not really close, but he must have been closer than Captain Dramatic wanted him to be. The communal silence was broken by:

CD: Mom?
Me: What?
CD: Can we go to bed now?
Me: You can go anytime you want, the tent is right there.
CD: No, can WE go to bed now? I am not going by myself.

I chuckled a little, and explained that the bear didn't want him, just our food. That is when most of us got up to make sure that the bear box was secured.

Later that night when we were all in our tents and asleep the bears were back. None of the parents woke when they were, but all of the children did. Two boys, who were in their own tent, had their tent tripped on and knocked over, but got out and re-pitched their tent while the bears were still roaming the campsite. Captain Dramatic, who was in the tent with Dad-E and myself, had renewed bravery from the false sense of security the tent gave him, looked a bear right in the face out the window of the tent and shined his light at the bear for a while, but decided against trying to get over me and out of the tent. When I woke in the morning was was still clinging to his flashlight.

Everyone one of the boys got up the next morning excited about the bears, and all were sharing their individual stories about the bears and their visit into camp. All laughing about the tent that got knocked over, and eager for yet another water gun fight, but sadly we had to tear our camp down and start the hike back to the cars, and say our goodbyes before it got any hotter.

Pictures and video of everything (but the bears, sorry) are to come.

To learn how you can submit your questions to Captain Dramatic, click here. Don't be shy!