It’s often in moments of forced adaptation that the most lasting memories are made. 

The University Honors Program (UHP) appreciates its long history of partnering with Outdoor Adventures (OA) for student break and weekend trips in the great outdoors. For Spring Break 2025, the UHP partnered with OA’s coordinator, Lauren Stover, to facilitate a four-day paddling trip in Eastern North Carolina for UHP students. Outdoor Adventures is a unit of NC State Wellness and Recreation that focuses on outdoor and natural aspects of wellness activities. 

This spring break trip consisted of canoeing, camping and hiking. Students had the opportunity to step out of the hustle and bustle of college life and connect with nature. For many of the participants, the trip was an opportunity to step outside of their comfort zone and try something new.

On the first day the group drove to Croatan National Forest and paddled on one of the lakes. The original plan was to canoe to Shackleford Banks, in Carteret County, on day two and camp on the island for a night. Due to adverse weather forecasted for day two, canoeing across the Intracoastal Waterway to reach Shackleford would have been both challenging and unsafe.

Quickly redirecting, the experienced OA trip coordinators Lauren Stover, Maggie McCrostie and Ellie Sieburg created a new plan to ensure that students could still make the most of the day. Instead of paddling out, the group visited the nearby Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium, where they explored local marine life up close and learned more about the wildlife they might be boating by during the rest of their trip. The stop at the aquarium became an unexpected highlight and an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the coastal environment and native marine life while waiting for the skies to clear. 

On day three, rather than canoeing to Shackleford after staying the night at the Oyster Point Campground, the group paddled to Carrot Island, which is part of the Rachel Carson Reserve in Beaufort. The Rachel Carson Reserve aims to protect and enhance coastal habitats and ecosystems for long-term research, education and stewardship, while also providing opportunities for wildlife-dependent recreation. 

The wildlife on Carrot Island includes wild horses, whose descendants swam ashore when colonial ships sank among the shallow waters and shifting shoals of the Outer Banks. Other local wildlife consists of river otters, gray foxes, raccoons, marsh rabbits and in the surrounding waters, American bottlenose dolphins. Following the paddle to the island, the group travelled along a hiking path around the island and stopped for lunch before paddling back across Taylor Creek before sundown. The group ended the night roasting marshmallows over a fire to make s’mores.

On the final day, the group headed back to the Rachel Carson Reserve and paddled among the marshes before driving back to Raleigh. The marshes housed a wide range of marine life, including a handful of different jellyfish species. 

Outdoor Adventures trip leader Maggie McCrostie reflected, “I think adaptability was what made our trip fun. It gave us the opportunity to cater to each person’s needs while also keeping the safety of our group intact. Our team worked really hard through high winds and storms to keep our itinerary adventurous and exciting. In the end, it was a really special and unique experience!”

When circumstances change without warning, the ability to adapt and embrace the present rather than get caught up in what could have been makes all the difference. By staying flexible and open, the OA trip leaders and UHP students didn’t simply overcome challenges, they deepened their connection with nature and with one another. True adventure lives in the unknown!