Explorer

What you need to do

This is a requirement for Bushman's Thong.

1. Pass or have passed the Advance Swimmer badge.
2. Take part in an expedition with not less than 2 and not more than 5 other Scouts. The expedition may be on foot, by pulling dinghy, sail dhoni or a distance of two atolls by motorised dhoni.
3. The expedition must be planned to last for at least 4–8 days, and at least 4 nights must be spent away from home under canvas, rough shelter or in the open. All necessary equipment and food must be taken and all meals be prepared by members of the party, preferably in backwoods style at least for 24 hours' duration.
4. All Scouts in the party will take an equal part in the planning arrangements before and during the expedition, but it is not necessary that all participants should be under test.
5. A log of the expedition must be kept by each member of the party, having previously agreed between themselves a different “emphasis” for each log, e.g. weather, geography, history, architecture, archaeology, botany, ornithology or environmental conditions.
6. The more and special log subject must have the prior approval of the examiner.
7. An expedition, whether on foot or otherwise, must be a test of determination, courage, physical endurance and a high degree of co-operation among those taking part.
8. An expedition on foot will cover at least 150 miles in unvisited country. The four nights will be spent on different campsites.
9. An expedition by water will cover at least 50 miles on each leg and the log will cover such points as the atoll or the sea conditions, reefs, shallow areas that make passage through the reef and reefs that make an obstruction to navigation etc.
10. The journey, which may not be less than 10 miles in length, must include at least five “incidents” such as rescue from heights or fire, compass work, night work, decoding, water incidents, and part of this journey is to be done by sea on a sail dhoni having communication and be in touch with the examiner or school or NHQ.

11. Be reasonably proficient in four of the following. Each of the three must be selected from different groups.

    • Boxing, fencing, wrestling, judo, karate
    • Rowing (half a mile alone or one mile with another Scout), sailing (around the island alone or to the adjacent island and return with another Scout)
    • Wind surfing, water skiing (five minutes without falling)
    • Snorkeling (near the reef and be able to breathe properly and stay in water with mask on for half an hour)
    • Motorcycle riding (have a temporary permit for the sake of the badge from the Ministry of Transport and Communications to ride a motorcycle, and be able to ride and to make simple repairs)
    • Swimming (one mile in reasonable water in any style and 10 meters in breast stroke and 50 meters in back stroke)
    • Skin diving (be able to dive with aqua lung and have practiced under professional guidance for not less than 3 months)
    • Gymnastics, tumbling (have undergone training with professional help in a recognised class or course)
    • Rope spinning (be able to make coir rope from scratch, making the fiber, and be able to make a minimum of 100 meters of rope on his own)
    • Track athletics, field events, cross country running (have taken part in a meet that is sponsored by the Maldives Athletics Association representing the school, or taken part as an individual, and have secured a prominent place in the past one year)

12. Be able to perform three from the following:

    1. Climb a coconut tree using leg sling or bare foot to a height of not less than 30 feet.
    2. Vault a fence 2/3 his height.
    3. Throw a sixty foot line to fall between two pegs four feet apart twice out of every three times.
    4. Swim 100 meters wearing clothes and undress except the under clothes without touching the seabed.
    5. Climb a rope to a height of 30 feet from the ground using proper methods.