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| Campers can use our windsurf simulator before they get out on the water |
Hello everyone! My name is Poe, and I am the Waterfront
Activity Director at Camp Kawartha this summer! I am so lucky to have a job
that allows me to be down by the gorgeous water of Clear Lake every single day. I
think that one of the best resources for fun, challenge and learning we have
here at camp is our waterfront. One of the most magical things about all our
activities at the water is that they are all environmentally friendly; we use
the wind or the power of our arms and paddles to move around. The natural
beauty of the lake combined with its versatility in providing constant
excitement and activity is what makes each day down at the water unique, and
helps add an important spark of discovery, environmental awareness and
accomplishment to a camper’s experience.
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| Rush tries out one of our largest windsurf sails |
Every day, classes in kayaking, sailing, canoeing and
windsurfing are taught in our boating area, and campers get the opportunity to
learn new skills, often in activities they may have never done before. In our
two-week sessions, campers repeat a series of both land and water classes every
other day, allowing them to hone their skills and come home with a sense of
accomplishment. Our one-week campers are given the opportunity to try a class
in each activity at camp, giving them a snap shot of each while still allowing
them to experiment and learn basic skills. As a previous camper here, and now
fifth year staff member, I have been able to see an
d feel first-hand what it is
like to finally stern a canoe, skipper a sailboat, achieve a duffek stroke in a
kayak and feel the wind on my face while speeding along the water on a
windsurfer. There’s no feeling quite like accomplishing these new skills, wtih
the help and support of peers and counsellors.
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| Paddling around at GBS |
Every single day, we also have an hour and fifteen minute
period called GBS (General Boat and Swim) when both the swimming area and
boating areas are open to campers for free time. As a staff, we have each area
fully life guarded, and are always down by the lake to help campers get a boat
into the water, or to take them out on a boat or windsurf board. Many of us
living in cities do not get the chance to be in the water throughout the rest
of the year, so making the waterfront as accessible to campers as possible is a
top priority for our staff. Our goal is to provide a safe and fun time during which
campers can immerse themselves in the activity of their choice; whether it be
to work on their skills, try something completely new, or just hang out in the
water.
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| Campers show off their kayaking strokes |
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| Learning to windsurf |
As a staff we strive to help each camper achieve their goals
in learning something new, working as a team or overcoming a personal challenge
down at the water. I strongly believe that the waterfront is among one of the camp’s
most valuable resources for challenge by choice, learning and environmental
awareness for campers. It is our hope that campers who may have once seen the
water as a source of anxiety or fear, or perhaps just something they have never
experienced, learn to see it as a place of fun, a source of personal
confidence, and a positive memory from their days at Camp Kawartha.
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| Out for a sail on a bright, sunny day! |
