Water Carnival is a winning event.

As the summer ends, just before school days are back in sight, Marine Corps Base Quantico hosts its annual Water Carnival. Wet and wacky events are planned for youth of all ages. Lifeguards don their clown makeup and the carnival tent is set up on the pool lawn. Colorful flags decorate the fence, balloon bouquets are placed in strategic spots, and the fun begins.

Each year carnival organizers try a few new events and retain the most popular for the next carnival. Activities are designed for children of all ages. Each child is able to register for two events in their age category.

Even toddlers are able to participate. In one event, the wading pool is filled with red, white and blue poker chips. Parents cheer from the wading pool edge as the youth activities director, with bullhorn in hand, announces the start of the competition. Toddlers are coaxed to pick up the chips from the pool bottom and fill a bucket held by their family member at the water's edge. The roar of the crowd is deafening for the three-minute timed event. Ribbons are awarded to all participants and first, second and third place ribbons go to the competitors with the most chips collected.

Some of the most popular events for kids age six and up are relays. These activities work particularly well when there are large numbers of children competing. Team size can be easily adapted on the spot to accommodate the number of participants. The events can be designed so that the competitive edge goes to those with clever strategy and not speed atone. The Kickboard Relay and the Inner Tube Relay are as much fun for fans as they are for the participants. The T-shirt Relay requires athletes to don an oversized T-shirt, swim the width of the pool and then transfer the shirt to the next teammate for another leg of the race. The Beach Ball Relay requires a similar transfer of props from teammate to teammate.

While the relays are in full swing, the Big Splash competition takes place in the pool's diving area. From the high board, dare devil competitors try their best cannon ball technique. Judging is sometimes difficult, but clowns, Splish and Splash, act as the final arbitrators by declaring who created the best display of white water. The Little Splash competition is a variation on a theme, with the go cleanly entering the pool without creating a ripple.

The carnival's newest event is the Obstacle Course. This individual, timed event is a challenge to all. In water three and a half to four feet-deep, swimmers must wiggle through hoola hoops, pick up diving rings, collect floating eggs and swim around buoys. The course design is limited only by the creative ideas of your staff. The old-fashioned Greased Watermelon Contest ended our wacky events last year with gusto.

The Water Carnival is always popular with the youngsters and their parents; it is inexpensive to host and great fun for spectators. Expensive prizes are not necessary, the children are thrilled to get a ribbon and be recognized. Refreshments provided by a sponsor can be simple; we have found punch and cookies are a welcome snack.

Quantico Marina: A Recreational Facility Full of History

One of Quantico's most beautiful settings, the Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Marina on the picturesque Potomac River, is a unique blend of local recreation and Marine Corps history. Located beyond the town of Quantico's Main Street, this site was first used as a recreational facility by the Quantico Land and Development Company (QLDC) at the turn of the century. When the area was purchased along with the small fishing village of Potomac, (soon to be known as Quantico), the QLDC promoted the area as a tourist and excursion center with beaches, dressing rooms, and refreshment stands. A flotilla of boats and launches were available to visitors. Steamers such as the S.S. St. Johns regularly stopped at Quantico, bringing tourists from Washington, DC and Richmond.

In 1917, the QLDC leased 5300 acres of land, including the riverfront, to the U.S. Marine Corps to meet the training needs of the corps' expanding mission. The Marina area was the original doorway to the base, as Quantico was landed by boat and eventually developed out towards what now is the U.S. Route 1 corridor.

An intricate part of the preparation for a training ground on the Potomac was upgrading the riverfront facilities. For the next 76 years, the marina area would adapt itself to the changing demands of the Marine Corps.

Today, the marina has reverted to its original intention--a recreational center. In 1984, MWR started a major renovation program that expanded the slip availability and rebuild the pier-head. The renovation project has not only extended the life of this historical structure but adds a park-like atmosphere to the causeway, which is enjoyed by a growing number of military and civilian guests in the area.

Due to futuristic planning and exceptional insight on the part of MWR, and the hands-on approach taken by the Recreation Branch, today's marina visitor will find a Lush, Landscaped setting where they can enjoy leisurely, peaceful days on the tranquil waters of the Potomac. A quiet getaway from the pressures of the moment, the Marina and its spectacular surroundings unfold a bounty of beauty for each season. An abundance of water sports, including waterskiing, boating, sailing, and some of the best fishing in the United States can also be found on site.

A visit to the Marina is not complete without taking time to stroll through the sleepy village of Quantico, a town surrounded entirely by the Marine Corps Base, and filled with Marine Corps history.