Sleepaway camp is round the clock fun, so it’s no surprise that our evening activities have taken off with all groups involved in a variety of activities. The Explorer Boys had a terrific camp out overnight under the stars in the Orchard overlook with campfire and 4 man domed tents. Fireside cooking went well. Our Club program has begun during our evening activity and campers can choose between a wide variety of offerings. We have added some new clubs to our traditional ones like cooking, fishing, gardening, Indian village, rocketry beginning and advanced waterskiing etc. Popular staffer, Steve Payne has introduced the Circus club, and his assistant Nador is an actual bona fide European Yo Yo champion. Nador delighted the entire staff in our counselor talent show during orientation, and soon the campers will get to see his talents on display in our coming Variety Show. For now he is an awesome teacher of some fun, easy Yo Yo tricks. Speaking of Yo Yo’s, this was one of the treasures I got to give out to our Pioneer pirates last night.

At about 8:30 on a perfect evening, the night air was filled with swashbuckling sounds of little pirates running around camp in a scavenger hunt for treasure. The kids came with patches over their eyes and skull and crossbone bandanas to all the supervisor cabins. The separate groups were competing Amazing Race style and the game was on !! The Supes (as our older staff is known) were ready, with clues to the next destination, dressed more extravagantly than the kids with our cabin porches fully decorated and lit with candles. I’m embarrassed to report I scared one little boy who had to ask, “Laura, is that you”? As I wielded my sword and yelled a hearty “Hardy Har Maties”! Treats and trinkets were the reward for a pirate hunt well run. Thinking everyone slept very well after covering so much ground with so much excitement.

Our upper camp was on grounds yesterday, as our younger camp travelled. We hosted our Annual Boys Birchmont Tennis Invitational with 5 sleep-away camps traveling to our courts for an afternoon of really excellent match play. Our 13’s took first place with several medals awarded at a brief ceremony, and our 15’s put forth a valiant effort but had many less victories placing 3rd. The level of play was impressive, as was the display of sportsmanship all around.

Our younger camp were off on their first trips of the summer. The destinations of Watercountry and Mt Washington Ferry Boat Ride with stops of Funspot and ice cream were a nice start to a trip program which just gets bigger and better as the summer goes on. Geronimo was the killer slide ride at Watercountry which some campers proclaimed the best water slide ever, and the scenery on the famed Mount Washington Ferry towards an old-fashioned arcade and ice cream Sundae stop was a safe, relaxing day on the lake for our youngest campers.

2nd week of camp and it’s going, going, almost gone…Time flies…Here to catch it like lightening in a bottle! 🙂

Laura