Hot and sunny again today. There was a windsurfing race at Rest Hour (A Junior Boy got honourable mention). Lots of tie dying going on at Arts & Crafts. Auditions for Junior Senior play. Many many camper/staff crews signed up for the Wayne Peck Sailing Regatta, so the first of several heats will be tomorrow. Senior Girls got back from trip today, had a great time. After Evening Activity, at dusk, there was a Torch Paddle. Poetry in motion – six camper solo canoeists, each with torches fore and aft on their boats, performing patterns, weaving among each other, circling and pivoting, creating patterns on the water both with their boats and with the reflection of fire on water. Magical! Almost 500 people watching and you could have heard a pin drop.

After the Torch Paddle, just before camp wide ETB (Early to Bed) I read the whole camp a little bedtime story. It went like this:

There’s no such thing as too many grilled cheese sandwiches. Or hugs.

Being in a canoe at night under a million stars never gets old.

You can be a different person at camp from in the city. At camp you get to pick.

There is no such thing as a stranger on the path – there is only the person you just smile at cause you forgot their name but you know they could be a friend.

Caring is a muscle. It strengthens with use….. Same for paddling arms.

The top of the 24 foot tower late at night is very close to heaven.

It doesn’t matter if you can carry a tune or not.

When you run into someone in January, and they’re still wearing their bracelets from the summer, it’s a sign about what really matters to them.

This is probably because we are all our best selves at camp, and sometimes in the winter we need a reminder of who that self is.

It turns out that it’s not about how good-looking you are, or how well you dress or flirt. It’s about who you are on the inside that shows at camp.

Which gives pretty much everybody a chance to shine.

I’m not too sure who won the war of 1812, but I can sing my Colour War song from 1961. What does that tell you about school versus camp?

If you practice Arowhon A dock dives, or buoy roundings, or flying lead changes, or tennis serves, or no-paddle landings, for two or three summers, you become that person who can do anything.

You can feel blue at home and be alone. That pretty much can’t happen at camp – which generally chases the blues away in fairly short order.

Arowhon campers can generally eat about 27 chicken wings before they puke.

The view from the treasure chest makes it the prettiest bathroom in the world. And possibly the smelliest.

You may be walking the worst portage of your life and you’re knee deep in mud with an 80-pound pack on your back, but afterwards it’s gonna be a fun story and a great memory for the next 50 years.

The people you walked that portage with are going to be your friends for life.

Losing your voice, not showering for days and having your shoes held together with duct tape – None of these are bad things. They are badges of honour.

Rock, paper, scissors is the most power tool of diplomatic resolution.

The ten months of the school year are just a waiting period – for camp