Chop Point Camp

Summer Blog

First few days + Acadia Biking Trip

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Whew. Been a crazy last few days here at the Point. Let’s do this by day.

Monday, June 25th

A whacky day overall. We had Whacky Olympics which had to get moved to the gym because of a bit of inclement weather. We had a bit more whacky weather which caused most actiivies to be led inside, and to top the night off we had the ever whacky counselor skits that the kids tirelessly laughed at (or at least pretended to).

Tuesday, June 26th

First full day of activities. The weather was more than courteous despite a few showers here and there. The frisbees were being thrown, the sailboats were putting along, and photos were being snapped (for photography class of course). Overall, a lovely day in Woolwich.

Wednesday, June 27th

Another full slate of activities. Weather was still cloudy, but it was no hindrance to the day. The night cleared up for a competitive yet good spirited Sports Night. Kickball, volleyball, soccer, and ultimate frisbee were all enjoyed by all.

Thursday June 28th – Saturday June 30th

I (Andrew) had the opportunity to go on a trip to Acadia National Forest. It’s advertised as a bike trip, but that didn’t stop up from going to find a bunch of side adventures. When we got to the camp sight on Thursday we went and did a little nature hike and found a big mud pond. All of us (unexpectedly) got our shoes and sandals stuck in the mud. We stopped and took a few pictures along the way, as well as settled into camp site for the night. Saturday was a full day of biking. And by biking, I mean beautiful and magnificent site seeing. Little known fact, Acadia National Park is the second most visited national park in the country. And for good reason. The views of the ocean, mountains, and forest are all quintessential New England scenery. After a little more driving around the forest on Saturday, we returned to camp to find that everyone was celebrating a Peter Pan themed night. As I type the Pirates and the Lost Boys are fighting for the rights to Neverland. Tomorrow is Steak and Lobster Night. Definitely beginning to feel the groove of camp.

All good things here folks. More posts soon.

-Andrew

 

Two Perfect Days

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June 29/30

 

Wow! What a great stretch of weather. We have had two absolutely beautiful, 85 degree days. The campers have been out in full force, water skiing, sailing, swimming, tennis and field sports. We have been pushing the idea of staying hydrated and wearing sunblock. We are about as far away from Christmas as we can get, but Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer would be impressed with some of the red noses around here. Our nurse Kez scolds them all soundly before she hands them a bottle of aloe.

 

Last night we had scheduled Water Night, but a quick moving thunder and lightning cloud kept us on our toes and we hurried to change to indoor Horseraces. Every camper dresses up like a character and then race across a grid on the floor while a caller rolls some dice to tell them when they can move. Campers who “bet” on the winning horse get a little piece of candy as a prize.

 

Today, a group went out to an island that is visible from our dock and jump off a “cliff” into the water. The rock is about 10 feet above a deep spot in the river. Most campers are nervous to jump off at first, but after a few false starts, jump with a scream. 100% of the participants jumped, with the counselors being more nervous than the campers.

 

Tonight’s activity is Peter Pan Night. This activity starts during dinner, everyone has to come dressed as either a lost boy or a pirate. It also coincided with “meat night” where we have ribs, buffalo wings, and sausages. Pirates kept popping in during the meal and Peter Pan was dancing about, playing his flute. It was absolute chaos, but everyone was playing along with gusto. We will all be pooped by the time we return to our cabins at 9:00.

First Session Craziness!

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Whew. What a day. Our campers from France just arrived at the lovely hour of 10:57 PM. That officially caps off our hectic yet awesome day of checking in the campers for First Session! The staff couldn’t be more excited to have our session kids. That’s not to say that we did love the locals that we got for Community Week. Memories were definitely made. Evening events such as an impromptu late night dodge ball bonanza, a down to the wire Capture the Flag game, and an honky tonkin’ Southern night made for a jam packed blast of a week. To a degree it’s frustrating that we only get those campers for such a short time. But in the same token it motivates us to give all we got in the little amount of time that we get.

We couldn’t have asked for better weather for the week. The only blemish was a ominous thunder cloud accompanied by a slight drizzle on the very last day. Besides that we got mid 90’s and cloudless skies for three days straight. We have a shortage of sunscreen around camp now, but as long as the campers and staff are using it we have no problem handing it out!

Back for the kickoff day for the best three weeks a kid could have. The lifeguards were down on the dock counting laps for the kids’ swim tests, the sailors were taking campers out, and all around camp there were basketball and ultimate frisbee games going on. In the evening we did Get To Know You Games. The night was a fun icebreaker where we could share embarrassing stories and learn names. We ended in the dining hall with Kettle Corn and refreshments.

Tomorrow we will have the ever entertaining counselor skits. Hopefully the 2+ weeks of preparation during staff week won’t be all for not. Trips for Acadia and the Allagash River are right around the corner. It all happens so fast that we have to be sure to be doing posts! That’s all we got for now. Will have pictures up soon!

The Beginning of the End

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The Sailing Trip returned yesterday with reports of a wonderful trip. The “sailors” had the opportunity to travel aboard the J.E Riggen, a one hundred foot schooner, out of Rockland, Maine. After sailing all  afternoon the boat anchored in the Penobscot Bay for a night of delicious food, swimming, and relaxing( but mostly swimming).

The sun setting over the surrounding mountains was absolutely breathtaking.

Check our Picasa Web albums for the full series of pictures!

In other news, today is the last full day of activities for Second Session! As the session comes to a close, we look forward to a series of special activities such as a day at the beach and a late night roller-skating trip.

 

Cliff Jumping!

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With two trips in Boston, and one hiking the White Mountains, numbers were a little low in camp today and it was time to get creative. We spent the morning shuttling campers back and forth to “cliff island” for some cliff-jumping.

Go to our Picasa Web Albums to see all of the pictures from today!

 

 

 

Boothbay Harbor

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We spent this past Sunday afternoon in Boothbay, a local, coastal town known for its beautiful harbor and “touristy” shopping. The campers loved the chance to shop, eat ice cream, and enjoy the scenery.

A few lucky campers had the opportunity to ride to Boothbay by boat instead of the bus. The hour of cruising through rocky coastline, weaving through lobster buoys, and riding the waves went all to quickly but it is always great to return to camp.

 

Trip Season

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Less than a week into Second Session, and we are already in “trip season” here! The whale watching trip to Boothbay Harbor and the Kennebec kayaking trip have both already gone out and returned with plenty of stories and good reports of their trips. This morning, two more trips pulled out of camp. The biking trip will be exploring Acadia National Park and spending a couple of nights there. A group of ten adventurous campers also left this morning to go on a three day canoeing trip on the St. Croix River.

All is well here at camp. The never-ending sunshine has made the waterfront one of the best and busiest places to be at camp. Go to our Picasa Web albums to see some new pictures from the waterfront!

Goodbyes and Hellos

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Sadly, First Session came to an end this past Thursday. Saying goodbyes are never fun, but knowing that life-long friendships grew over the course of the three weeks makes the goodbyes worth it. It was a wonderful session, and we hope to see returning faces next summer!

By Friday afternoon, we were welcoming the Second Session Campers! Everyone has safely arrived at Chop Point  and this afternoon, campers have already began their activities and are enjoying the sunshine. It’s a great start to a new session!