An adventure that’s out of this world
Overnight canoe trips, campfires part of the lure at Camp Kwasind
SKELETON LAKE, ONT.— It’s after dinner at Camp Kwasind and the girls are preparing for an overnight canoe trip to the island just off the waterfront.
There’s excitement in the air because for some of them, this is their maiden voyage. They’ve never slept in a tent, in the forest, under a starry sky. What an adventure awaits.
Madeline, 11, has a pretty good idea of what to expect. This is her eighth year at Kwasind, affiliated with the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec and is a “camp is where I can be myself,” she says. “I grew up here.” It’s where her faith and spirituality have grown as well.
And with so much to do — canoeing, kayaking, sailing, sports, theatre, arts and crafts — there’s no time to miss being at home. “The best part is connecting with God and meeting new friends.”
Olivia, 8, isn’t hard to please. She loves “everything” at camp including her new friends, the activities and the food.
Her goal this summer is to improve her outdoor skills. “I’m trying to get better at kayaking,” she says, when asked what she’s learning at camp. With some luck, her favourite stuffy will have a chance to get out in the kayak too.
Jillian brought something to camp as well. The13-year-old needs crutches after injuring her foot jumping off a swing. She leans on those crutches but they don’t hinder her when having a great time.
Jillian is part of the landscape at Kwasind having grown up at the camp where her parents and grandparents met.
Waterfront activities are her favourite. “I think the hardest part of camp is that I miss my friends when I leave” she says as she heads down to the beach and gets into a canoe.
As the girls paddle off into the sunset, the boys are getting ready for a campfire where goofy songs and silly skits are on the program. Patrick, 10, is back for his second time at Kwasind. One of his best songs goes something like this: There are no bananas in the sky, There’s the sun and the moon and coconut tree pie but no bananas in the sky.
You have to come to camp to hear the rest of that ditty.
Patrick is also a fan of camp games such as capture the flag and ultimate frisbee. He also likes his camp buddies, one in particular has been super duper, sharing treats from the tuck shop. Sharing and caring are all part of the camp experience at Kwasind.
Joseph, 11, loves the counsellors who he says are “pretty funny,” and always there for the kids. Nature survival is on his “to do” list this summer and he’s getting some hands-on learning in the woods.
For Zac, 14, camp has been a summer retreat for seven years. His father was guest speaker at Kwasind years ago and he’s never considered going anywhere else. “It’s so much fun and my friends are great,” he says adding this summer he’s doing a lot of sailing. He spent this particular afternoon building a massive sand castle fortress on the beach with the help of his camp friends.
In the future, Zac wants to be a counsellor at camp so he can set an example for younger children just as those he looks up to have done for him for all these years.
His advice to kids who’ve never been to camp or are nervous is simple: “You should try it because it’s a lot of fun and you’ll make new friends which makes camp amazing.” They also make camp unforgettable. To get there from Mars, here are the directions from the camp website: Board your spaceship Set interplanetary travel preference settings to “Earth” and sub category “North America”
When your display asks for detailed destination settings, enter “The most beautiful place in Muskoka.”
Fasten your personal restraint device and engage the hyper drive to a “moderate” setting.
Travel approximately 0.13583 light years toward the G2V star in the Milky Way
Arrive at Camp Kwasind refreshed with a glistening slime coating! If you have benefited from the Fresh Air Fund or have a story to tell, email lferenc@thestar.ca.