WAR Canoe

People always ask what in the world do we do at Camp when the summer season is over?

The answer is simple.

Stuff like this. We just do stuff like this:




What is THIS!?

This is an old war canoe.

Or more accurately...this is OUR old war canoe.

Gather 'round, and I'll tell a tale. It's not going to be a very good tale, cause I don't  know any of the needed details, but it will be a tale nonetheless.

As the legend goes, a massive War Canoe once sailed the current and owned the shores of Lake Shawanni. Yes, this mighty...actually, that's all I know. All I know is we once had a massive War Canoe here at Camp. We even have the receipt to prove it:

That's the whole story. We had a huge canoe. People liked it. (That last statement is pure speculation. But who wouldn't like a GIANT canoe?) And then at some point we didn't have a huge canoe anymore.

Flash forward to modern day. When some nice people emptying out their garage did some research, discovered Camp was the previous owner of the large canoe that had been sitting in storage, and took steps to track us down. Special thanks to the Buchel Family for donating this piece of history back to Camp!

So thanks to some generous thoughtful folks, the canoe is one again Camp's.

If we can get this massive TWENTY-FIVE foot back to Camp, that is. And how on earth are we gonna do that?

Wait. Seriously? We're just gonna throw it on the truck?

I am noticeably skeptical of this plan.

Which of course just leads to us just throwing the canoe on the truck.

Are you sure this is going to fit on the truck?

Yeah, I know it's a big truck.

But it's also a big canoe, is all I'm saying.

All right. I guess it's kind of on the truck.

Serves me right for questioning the full might, know how, and general get-the-job-done-ship of the Camp Facilities team. 

We could have put two canoes on that truck!  Three canoes! All the canoes!

And now our war canoe is back at home.

Safe and sound, nestled in the rafters of the craftshop.

So the big questions of course is, what are we going to do with this war canoe?

And the big answer is a familiar one here at Camp...we have no idea.

But you can bet we're gonna do something  with it.

Maybe it will make a nice museum piece. 

Maybe we can turn into a fancy Welcome to Camp Sign?

Or maybe, just maybe, we can restore its sea worthy-ness and it can conquer the waves of Lake Shawnni once more.

Does anyone out there in the Camp Alumni universe remember the War Canoe? Have any good stories? Or better yet...pictures? Get in touch and fill us in on the history!

Baby Velcro

So, our summer campers leave. And Camp gets quiet. And calm. And some of our other residents who get lost in the hustle and bustle of summer begin to come on out of the woodwork to claim Camp for their own again. Residents like...BABY SNAPPING TURTLES.

The classic big snapping turtle look you love...

Crammed down into a convenient, tiny...

Easy to transport...

Palm sized package.

Uh-oh.

No, Woodrow.

Like so many other things, no, this is not for you.

Off to drop the little guy at his new lakeside home. All while keeping a safe distance from the always curious Camp dog.

And then, SUDDENLY,  the next day...

Another one!

Two days, two baby snapping turtles?

That's even luckier than finding a four leaf clover.(Sorry, Mckee.)

Better get him to pose for a Camp photo.

There we go.

You should be able see where this is going.

Ahh! Yup. It's going here. Told you. Should have seen that one coming a mile away. Turtle was going in the coffee cup.

'Cause it's a perfect vehicle for a nice relocation trip. (I'll wash the mug. I promise. If I remember. Which I probably won't.)

All right. Here we go.

Time for your swim eval.

Yup. A blue swimmer indeed. Good luck, tiny Lil' Mini-Baby-Velcro Jr, good luck. May Shawanni treat you well.

Meanwhile.  Right next door a small frog is super unhappy I just assigned him a snapping turtle as a bunk mate. Get over it, Frog. Camp's about making new friends.

Next Time: A new piece of old history. Or an ancient new addition. Or...something happens.

A Summer in Pictures: Volume III

And now for your final (well, kinda final...something tells me you'll still see plenty of summer '15 pictures showing up on here for a while), but FINAL (final for now until it's not ar all final anymore) final volume...Volume III: Your Camper Submitted Photos.

Cabin #11 before the Dinner Extravaganza.

Counselors on the mountain top.

One last cabin photo.

It's Saturday morning! You have your cell phone once again! That means you need a parting snapshot of Lake Shawanni.

Our best kept secret. CHAOS is fun.

Cabin 11. In their boxes.

Classic outside the cabin shot.

Wish boats awaiting to be launched. "A wish boat Wednesday, my personal favorite of all of summer."

"An extravagant counselor, CIT 1 and Thomas Murphy Winner all in one picture."

The obligatory Saturday morning Camper/Counselor farewell photo.

Arts and Craftswear.

Between the blur and the good sunlight coming through the trees, and those faces, this sums up a millisecond at Camp nicely.

Hey! A camera! We know what those things are! Point at it and smile! Quick! Before we miss our chance!

There's Velcro! The dinosaur of Lake Shawanni, caught on film. (I'm pretty sure these came from a REAL LIFE disposable camera, so yes...FILM!)

And now...FISH.

Catfish!

I told you we had Catfish in the lake.

And catfish are cool.

And bass fish!

Just called "bass", and not "bass fish"? Well okay. I don't agree, but okay.

This is such a perfect "Camper and his fish" photo I can't even express it further.

Happy friends.

CRAZY happy friends.

"Oh my favorite time of the year...sending Ben pictures of camp memories!!"

A very special thanks to Justin, Sophia, Ben, Melissa, Kiera and Miranda (and some of their parents) for sending these fine photos along. Oh, and also thanks the Wojciech. Always thanks to Wojciech.