Overview
Our expert team is devoted to facilitating environments and adventures that provide opportunities for healing, growth, and fellowship.
By stepping away from it all and viewing things objectively, akin to traditional navigational methods, we know you can gain helpful perspective. We believe our "peer-to-peer" guidance approach and that the act of one person genuinely helping another is of the truest therapeutic value. We welcome those from all walks, creeds, colors, and classes with open arms to step out of your comfort zone and into the great outdoors to begin to build a way forward.
In 2021, we put together an interactive guidebook with a board-certified behavior analyst and team of leaders to serve as a personal starting point and action plan for all those who want to start working on themselves, work through something difficult, or even just begin to dream again. We affectionately called this resource "The North Star Guidebook " and coupled it with a full day of adventuring to let nature be our facility for a guided workshop and our refuge.
The North Star Guidebook
This workshop is designed to be a self-tailored and go at your own pace resource to serve as your own personal guidebook. You will work through this with our team while on our retreat. Our workshop covers the practices of effective goal setting and follow through while helping to gather a starting point. Additionally, participants will gain deeper understanding of individual emotional tendencies and learning styles. Participants will find a safe space for conversation, while having an opportunity to unplug from their daily societal and social burdens. Our goal is to give participants the opportunity to feel reinvigorated, develop a plan, and be ready to engage. We can’t tell you what to do with your life, but we can teach you how to read a compass and believe you can find the way!
What is our Retreat, specifically?
It is a guided, full day of out-door adventuring that we combine with our workshop material, The North Star Guidebook. The full day generally lasts around 8+ hours, (8am-4pm) but be aware, as we travel by traditional means via our ship, that there could be delays. Make sure to block off the whole day for this.
This is a physically active and involved day so plan accordingly. There are "no passengers" aboard our ship during our retreats, as you will all be considered part of our family of crew-members for the day. You will be given tasks, making decisions, accomplishing objectives, and participating in team building activities throughout your trip across Lake Lanier.
The early part of the day consists mainly of the initial self-exploration exercises, navigating our route for the day, preparing you for our voyage, and setting the ship. We will then embark and set sail out across Lanier were you will have an active role in line setting, hauling, and sail trim. Around mid-day we will reach for a cove and anchor as close as we can off-shore. We then launch our trusty tenderly dinghy named "Humphrey" to make for the island or mainland we have anchored at. At this time, participants will help with lunch as we cook the traditional way over an open-fire. There will be free time after discussion to hike, explore, swim, row, fish or just relax and wind down at the beach. Finally, we make our way back for the ship for a quick demonstration and finishing the curriculum as we sail our way back home to Q dock.
What does The North Star Guidebook cover, specifically?
- Setting a "Big Goal" or "Dream" (No judging included)
- Setting and development of S.M.A.R.T. goals (Intermediary goals supported by smaller actionable steps and practices)
- Development of daily task applications and accountability plans
- Personality Typology resource and game
- Learning Style Typology resource and game
- Identification exercises for strengths and weaknesses in self, support circles, and community
- Reflection practices, support, and resources for continuing education or further aid/information
What is included, What do I Bring?
Included:
- North Star Guidebook and writing utensils
- Lunch and all related gear
- Snacks and drinks (water, sport drinks, and apple juice)
- Access to all life-saving equipment and supplies
- A rock.... yes, you read read that right.... it's a regular rock
- A commemorative doubloon (coin)
I need to bring:
- Any and all personal medications required (can be stored in locked hold)
- A phone or camera (however we ask that the phone remain off or silent other than photography)
- A change of clothes, jacket, towel, swim suit, non-marking sturdy footwear, any personal affects
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
What does it cost?
We, at The Crossbones Company, offer our guided retreat on "pay what you can or want" principle. Through our registration process you will be given the opportunity enter an amount that you wish to support us with.
This outlet, that we have made available to the public, is within our purpose for being and our method for giving back to our community. We live to see individuals start to take positive steps towards a life that they find meaningful and worthwhile and understand that not everyone is in a secure financial situation.
We rely solely on donations from the public, what we can earn from private bookings, and our wonderful network of partners and supporters to stay in operation. We believe that we are a necessary practice that meets a growing need and if we continue to do the right thing by paying it forward that the funds will come.
A few take-aways...
Whatever it was that lead you here... post education, post service, post career, post addiction, post tragedy, or just a general lost feeling, we are here walk with you in whatever way we can. We will serve as your guide through the material and as a catalyst for beginning other journeys. We take pride in our little wooden sanctuary and the environment around us so we will always strive to leave everything better or the same as we found it. We keep a tight-nit band of folks around here and adhere to a code of privacy to the highest degree on anything shared with us aboard our ship. If you are on the fence (or dock in this case) about whether not to give your life constructive work or another shot, do it! Don't waste another second! Whether through this or something else, live it and don't give up.
Retreat Day
8 hours
Included:
- 8+ hours of sailing, games, and exercises. Access to multitude of outdoor activities and leisure.
- The North Star Guidebook and writing utensils
- Lunch and all related gear - Snacks and drinks (water, sport drinks, and apple juice)
- Access to all life-saving equipment and supplies
- A rock.... yes, you read read that right.... it's a regular rock
- A commemorative doubloon (coin)