After two weeks of building skills and preparing for the arrival of campers, they’ve finally arrived! As tradition would have it, the rain started before Opening Day (June 29) and it looked like another soggy start to SAM camp. To our surprise, we woke to the sun and a light breeze – we all enjoyed the near-perfect day to show campers the beautiful environment we will be sharing over the summer.
The arrival of campers was truly awesome, as was watching them greet both old friends and new. Once all the campers arrived they were able to take a tour with their cabins and get acquainted with one another as a cabin community and, later, with the entire SAM community.
On the first full day of camp, the campers got right into SAM by packing out for their cabin trips. The cabin trips are for two nights and three days. This experience gives the cabin groups a chance to bond and learn new skills, which they will be able to use on this week’s longer trips. Campers learned (or relearned) how to pitch a tent, properly pack their backpacks, and the proper use and safety of the camping cook stoves. Campers also took canoe tippy tests. This helps ensure that each camper feels comfortable paddling in a canoe and knows what to do if their canoe tips over. The campers also calculated how much food they would need and how to plan a menu for the trail.
When the cabin trips returned on Sunday, July 3, we all got to hear all about the grand adventures people experienced on the trail, which included stories of some campers hunkering down in a rain storm. We enjoyed seeing how the cabin groups had bonded and how new friendships were formed on the trail. Though the tents got wet, everyone’s spirits were high.
