Here comes the sun

This past week has been full of sun and warm summer weather! We have settled into a rhythm of our normal daily schedules. In the morning, each camper signs up for one activity period and goes to instructional swim, and in the afternoon, there is another signup period, a free swim period, and a free time where lots of activities are open and campers can come and go as they please.

​One of the best parts about being a Timanous camper is the ability to make your own choices about what you want to do, set goals, and have the teaching and encouragement to achieve them. A common goal is to earn an award at an activity, like archery, where you can get your Bowman Award by learning about "point of aim", demonstrating knowledge of the safety rules at the range, and successfully getting all six arrows on the target. We also have a series of awards for both land and water-based activities. The Land Jester, for example, has requirements for archery, riflery, handicrafts, woodshop, nature, campcraft, sports, and even writing for our in-camp Timanews newsletter. Progressing through this award is a really great way for campers to try out lots of different activities and take the initiative to develop skills in each of them. Whether they complete all of the requirements or not (sometimes it takes multiple summers!), any boy who goes for his Land Jester can take pride in what he accomplishes in the pursuit of the award.

One of the other best parts about being a Timanous camper is all of the time they have throughout the summer to just relax, be a kid, and enjoy time with friends in a beautiful natural setting. During free time in the afternoon, you can find campers exploring the cove in a rowboat, playing chess by the Barn, and reading in the sun outside the cabin. Each day provides opportunities within a set structure for each camper to pursue their perfect mix of activities, rest, pursuing goals, and down time with friends.

​Most days after dinner, we have a free evening. In addition to our Twilight League softball games, there are so many other fun activities for campers to do. Many campers stay up on the fields and courts for games of soccer, basketball, and ultimate disc. You can also find small roving bands meandering around camp playing bocce and disc golf. For the latter, there was an epic hole set up with a drive off the end of beginners beach dock. The water hazard claimed more than a couple of discs, but a few lucky campers and counselors were able to make it all the way to dry ground for their second toss.

If you take a stroll down the bunkline, you're also likely to come across relaxing campers enjoying a calm, peaceful end to the day. Tuesday evening may have been the nicest yet, with that perfect temperature where you can't say it's too hot or too cold, and a bright orange sun setting behind tall pines in a clear sky.

The other notable development of the week is that several cabins have gone out on their camping trips: the Cardinals and Ravens for a canoeing trip on Umbagog Lake and the Falcons and Loons for a hiking trip at Mt Blue. Camping trips at Timanous are always a highlight of the summer, as campers get to develop skills in the outdoors, experience beautiful remote areas, learn to work as a team, and bond even more with their trip-mates. Stay tuned for stories and photos of the trips later this week!