Ahoy!
There are few places more peaceful and carefree than in a sailboat on a sunny summer day. Every day, twice a day, boys have the opportunity to sail on nearby Lake Summit, a larger lake in Tuxedo that allows much more room to sail around in than camp’s two lakes on property. While the blue water rippled and sparse clouds floated against the clear sky, a van full of eager boys unloaded this afternoon at the dock, ready to set sail.
This afternoon’s crew was a mix of experience sailors and boys who had never been in a boat before. Gresh, Sam, and Thomas were the three counselors at the sailing docks, ready to instruct at all levels. As they put on their life-jackets, Locke couldn’t wait to get in the boat. “This is probably the best activity at camp,” he gushed. Wesley agreed. In fact, Wesley likes sailing so much that he has chosen to sign up for sailing every single day of camp except one so far. This was in contrast with Julian, who was excited for sailing today because it would be his first time ever in a sailboat. He was looking forward to trying something new, especially because Sam, his cabin counselor, was one of the sailing counselors.
Gresh teaching a sailing lesson on wind patterns
As Gresh went over a sailing lesson, the new boys were quick to pick up on the terms and tips, and the returning boys didn’t hesitate in answering questions. Hunter knew every answer to Gresh’s quiz questions, including “which direction is starboard,” “what is the back of the boat called,” “what do you use to steer the boat,” “what is the name of the rope attached to the main sheet,” “what does it mean to be in irons,” and more. Before they headed out in the boats, Sam reminded the boys what to do if they happen to capsize. He explained that it’s all about using the daggerboard to right the boat, and that if they lost the daggerboard it would be like losing the key to a house since it was so essential.
Gresh led a refresher on wind patterns and directions. He explained how pointing directly into the wind would leave the boat “in irons,” because there would be no wind catching the sails to propel them forward. Instead, the boys would want to point as close to the wind as they could, while “tacking and jibing” across the water (sailing terms that essentially means zig-zagging across the water). “When the wind is directly behind you, that’s called being in a run,” Gresh explained. However, as he told the boys, this isn’t the fastest position to be in like you might expect. When the wind is blowing from straight behind, there is resistance created by the mast and the main sheet. The fastest position is actually closest to the wind direction without being in irons, called “close haul.”
Phillips and Mac working together to rig their boat
After the quick lesson, the boys eagerly paired up with boat partners and gathered the sails, masts, and daggerboards to rig the boats. Wesley paired up with Hunter, and they chose to rig a Sunfish. “The Picos are a little more stable, but the Sunfish is faster I think,” Hunter explained. Phillips and Mac also paired up, saying that nearly every time they sail they’ve gone out in a boat together. They’re friends from back home in Arkansas, and enjoy being able to spend time together outside of school.
The boys rigged the boats with the help of their counselors, and once they set out the lake was scattered with colorful sails, dancing across the water. Though I had planned to watch from the dock, Hunter and Wesley kindly sailed over to me and asked if I wanted to ride in their boat. Fitting three people in a Sunfish didn’t make us very fast, but the two boys didn’t mind, and were nice enough to show me their sailing skills. “We’ll be like your sailboat Uber,” they joked, sailing me around so we could say hi to all the other boats.
Hunter raising the main sheet on his sailboat
After sailing around for a while and enjoying the serenity of Lake Summit, it was finally time to head in and get back to camp in time for dinner. Tomorrow the boys can choose to return to the lake for sailing, or they can resume their regular daily activities. The beauty of camp is that they have the freedom to “choose their own adventure.” No matter what they decide to spend tomorrow doing, it’s sure to be another fun day in this beautiful corner of the world.
-Annie Pharr
More Highlights From This Thursday:
- We celebrated Parker’s birthday today, the Catawba tribal leader!
- Breakfast: Sausage, scrambled eggs, and cheese, with hash browns, grits, fruit, granola, and a yogurt bar.
- Lunch: Chicken tenders with bbq sauce and honey mustard sauce, seasoned fries, apple slices, a full salad bar, and ice cream sandwiches for dessert.
- Dinner: Macaroni and cheese, sliced ham, lima beans, a full salad bar, and dirt pudding (Oreos in chocolate pudding) for dessert.
- Evening Program: games with your tribe! Boys were playing on the field, in the gym, in the thunder dungeon, and even enjoying a game of “capture the flag!”
Making a splash at Sliding Rock!
Rock on! One of our trips to climb Gilbert’s Rock today
Fortbuilding during this afternoon