2012 Summer Expeditions

Thompson Island Outward Bound Course Activities

Thompson Island Outward Bound Summer Expeditions offer three adventure-based courses encouraging leadership skills, teamwork, and compassion for ages 12 to 17. Connecting with Courage for girls, Passages for boys and Environmental Expeditions. Outdoor activities include sailing, kayaking, climbing, and exploration of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area and Massachusetts Bay coastline for 10 to 14 days. Students live outdoors camping and cooking, learn navigation and sailing/kayaking skills, challenge themselves climbing the 62’ Alpine Tower on Thompson Island, investigate marine ecology, learn environmental stewardship, work with National Park Rangers and participate in a service project.

For questions about Summer Expeditions or if you’d like to enroll, please email admissions@thompsonisland.org
or call 617.830.5144.

Check out pictures from previous seasons at our PHOTO GALLERY

Boston Harbor Sea Kayaking
Propel yourself through the waters of the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area in a two-person kayak. Thompson Island Outward Bound’s sea-kayaking expeditions provide the opportunity for you to learn paddling techniques, capsize and rescue procedures, weather forecasting, and navigation skills. You will explore by day in your tandem sea-kayaks and camp by night on the islands of the National Park Area.

Massachusetts Bay Sailing
It’s time to cast your sails to the wind, living aboard a 30-foot pulling boat, and explore the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area and Massachusetts Bay coastline. You and nine crewmates will investigate water and shoreline ecology, and learn seamanship skills such as sail theory, navigation, reading wind and tides, sailing, rowing and knot tying.

Connecting With Courage®, for 12-13 year-old Girls

Many people think courage means physical bravery; at Outward Bound we believe courage is about what is in your heart, from facing your fears to speaking up for what you believe in. On a Connecting with Courage (CWC) expedition, you will focus on physical, mental and emotional skills while spending 10 or 12 days in the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area.

You’ll take an active role in learning both personal and team-based sailing or sea-kayaking skills such as navigation, technical skills, tides, wind reading and knot tying, and study the ecology and history of the Harbor Islands. While learning to live outside, you will form friendships, build self-confidence, independence, and a powerful sense of accomplishment. This course will focus on leadership and teamwork, while allowing you to speak your mind and express yourself. Course groups will typically consist of 10 students and two instructors.

CWC Sailing and Climbing

COURSE #	DATES	ACTIVITY	COURSE AREA
CWC 164	July 18 – July 29	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area

CWC Sea Kayaking and Climbing

COURSE #	DATES	ACTIVITY	COURSE AREA
CWC 160	June 30 – July 11	Sea Kayaking and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
CWC 162	July 18 – July 29	Sea Kayaking and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
CWC 168	August 5 – August 16	Sea Kayaking and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area

CWC Environmental Explorations (includes sailing and climbing)

Join new friends and your instructors on Thompson Island for 10 days of environmental exploration, sailing, and climbing. Discover and investigate the geology and ecology of the island’s forests, meadows, salt marshes, tidal pools, and beaches. Cruise on a 30-foot pulling boat for day-sails in Boston Harbor. Learn navigation, seamanship, camp craft and orienteering skills while living in the outdoors. Climb the 62′ Alpine Tower and other high-ropes challenges on Thompson Island. Students will also interact with National Park Rangers and participate in a service project

COURSE #	DATES	ACTIVITY	COURSE AREA
CWC 158	June 30 – July 9	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
CWC 166	August 5 – August 14	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area

“The course is excellent for developing self-reliance in a natural setting. Increasing self- confidence and self-esteem are also primary benefits from taking an Outward Bound program for a teenage girl.”
Student, Connecting with Courage

“The focus on the individual is AMAZING – a transformative experience. The instructor totally ‘got’ what my daughter is about, nurtured that and encouraged her to take the next step – in her case, to be a LEADER.”
Parent, Connecting with Courage

Passages®, for 12-13 year-old Boys

Passages (OBPA) is an adventurous and challenging 10- or 12-day Outward Bound expedition, specifically designed to guide your “passage” from adolescent to young man. The course will give you the opportunity to find your individual strengths and learn self-reliance as you live in the outdoors and explore Thompson Island and the waters of Boston Harbor. Working together as a team, you’ll develop compassion, confidence, leadership and teambuilding skills.

You will learn how to read nautical charts and navigate within the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area. Meet new friends, enjoy the great outdoors, and experience a summer adventure that you’ll remember forever. Passages courses give boys a powerful sense of accomplishment and independence – sending them back into the world as young men. Course groups will typically consist of 10 students and two instructors.

OBPA Sea Kayaking and Climbing

COURSE #	DATES	ACTIVITY	COURSE AREA
OBPA 164	June 30 – July 11	Sea Kayaking and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
OBPA 168	July 18 – July 29	Sea Kayaking and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
OBPA 170	August 5 – August 16	Sea Kayaking and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area

OBPA Environmental Explorations (includes sailing and climbing)

COURSE #	DATES	ACTIVITY	COURSE AREA
OBPA 162	June 30 – July 9	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area
OBPA 166	July 18 – July 27	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area

“It was a completely awesome and LIFE-CHANGING experience. I would recommend this to anyone and everyone.”
Student, Passages

“It helped him grow and become much more CONFIDENT. It helped him to appreciate all he has in life. He gained something no one can ever take away from him: The knowledge of how much he can accomplish if he tries. This gives him confidence that cannot disappear. It was hard, but completely worth it to him.”
Parent, Passages

Environmental Expeditions, for 14 – 17 year-old coeds

Outward Bound Environmental Expeditions (OBEE) is a 14-day sailing expedition that gives students the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of seamanship while studying the natural world that surrounds them. Along with 9 other students, you will explore the wonders of Massachusetts Bay from the Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area to the shores of Cape Ann. Home to some of nature’s richest ecosystems, Cape Ann provides an exceptional outdoor classroom for ocean bound science discovery.

You will learn to navigate along the Massachusetts coastline, get a first hand view of coastal ecosystems, develop outdoors skills, and conduct science experiments. OBEE will focus on sailing and safety tactics as well as marine conservation and the “science of the sea.” Course groups will typically consist of 10 students and two instructors.

COURSE #	DATES	ACTIVITY	COURSE AREA
OBEE 50	July 11 – July 24	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, Massachusetts Bay, Cape Ann
OBEE 51	August 1 – August 14	Sailing and Climbing	Boston Harbor Islands National Park Area, Massachusetts Bay, Cape Ann

Contact Information

For more information regarding Summer Expeditions contact the Admissions Department by email at
admissions@thompsonisland.org or call 617.830.5144.

You can download the course application packet here: 2012 Thompson Island Course Application Packet (PDF)