Camp Qwanoes aqua park taking over the Pacific
VANCOUVER ISLAND INSTITUTION EXPANDS ITS WATER-BASED OPTIONS FOR CAMPERS
At Qwanoes, there are always new adventures every year — no summer is ever the same,” says Scott Bayley, executive director.
“This summer, we’re adding a floating volleyball court to our Aqua Park.”
“In all started in 1997, when we added a floating trampoline to our beach — it was one of the very first in Canada. And we have been adding to it our beach ever since.”
“You can now scale a giant 14-foot tall iceberg and slide down or jump off. We have floating slides, a rope swing, runway smatts, there’s even a giant floating teeter totter for five people.”
Camp Qwanoes is located on Vancouver Island nestled beside Maple Mountain on a quiet bay in Crofton about an hour north of Victoria. It has been growing for 25 years and now offers over 75 activities for campers who come from Vancouver Island, Greater Vancouver and beyond.
“Yes, we have some amazing activities, especially in our trees and at our beach — we even have a concrete skate park.
“But what really makes a week at Qwanoes so special is the staff. Each week there is a team of almost 200 carefully screened staff who love kids. They come from about 12 countries — all with the same desire to provide the greatest week of a child’s life.”
In our plugged-in, fast-paced world, camp provides an ideal opportunity for kids to experience adventure outside and to connect with others from all kinds of backgrounds. Camp is a place filled with friendship and discovery. Confidence is gained and new skills learned.
“We want kids to get out of the inside indoors and play outside!”
“At camp, kids can try things that just don’t happen in everyday life,” says Bayley. “And it’s all in a safe place. At Qwanoes, kids can be kids, kids are valued and accepted, and fun is a big part of each day.”
And apparently at Qwanoes, they love to constantly add new ways to have fun.
“Two years ago we added a premier new attraction to our already-huge Challenge Course — we call it the ‘Sky Station.’ It towers among the trees in the heart of our camp — now providing almost 30 connected challenges up in the sky.”
“This year we’re taking it even higher. We’ve just added something we call the ‘Sky Jump’ — and I think campers are going to love it.”
“What’s really cool about the Sky Station is that it actually serves as a kind of ‘friend-station,’ ” says Bayley. “Campers do this together in pairs — it’s a great way to make new friends. You make some pretty tight bonds when you’re working together to cross a rickety bridge forty to fifty feet in the air!”
Since 1966, kids have been experiencing these kind of adventures and a whole lot more at Qwanoes.
“Whether it’s paddle surfing, mounting boarding, kayaking or skateboarding … there’s something for everyone and it all happens in a spectacular oceanfront West Coast oceanfront setting.”