This has been the best camp yet. By far. Previous camps were laid out in a very structured manner intended to mandate our education. This time was very different. We were given independence, freedom and the ability to explore under our own will and ironically this led to more experience and bonding between us students, each other and our environment. It was a remote and beautiful location as well, and we were surrounded by almost untouched nature with less connection to society than we had ever had. It was an amazing experience, and it will be remembered as the best camp yet.
The morning of our departure it had been raining in torrential amounts, so we were sure it would be soaking, although it was only drizzling when we arrived at out departure point. We started our adventure by loading our canoes. None of us thought we could cram in all of our gear and bags plus ourselves, although we managed to make it.After we had put all of our gear in dry bags we then set off, for the first leg of our expedition. We crossed the lake and then headed north towards the location where we stopped for lunch. After stopping in a rocky little clearing we got back into our canoes for the rest of the trip to our camp which our guides explained to us was on an alluvial fan (a place where sediment is deposited creating a semi-peninsula). Once we rounded the fan we came to rest on the rocky shore against a mountain, with a blue wooden sign reading "Raven Creek Marine Park". We then unloaded the bags, and walked for a few seconds before arriving at the clearing that was to be our campsite. There was also another clearing that would be used as a kitchen. We then set up our tents and were given free time (which I used to experience among others the very, very cold Pitt Lake water). After the little swim we had dinner. The meal preparation/clean up was on a rotation system - as there were two canoes one canoe would cook and the other clean and vice versa for the future times. After dinner, more free time. We then had a small fire building class followed by a campfire with s'mores and some conversations. The first night of camp it did not rain whatsoever, and our items remained dry. The following day we set off in the morning, after eating breakfast and making a lunch for ourselves. We canoed past a small establishment that appeared to be solar-powered, circled two islands and came to rest on the bigger one where we ate our lunches and were given the ability to explore. This was definitely one of the trip highlights, as some of the time I used for "solo" and some for exploration. Afterwards we set off back to camp. We then had the ability to go to a rope swing into the cold water again, with about a quarter of us going. After some fun in the cold water, we returned for a hike, dinner, campfire and sleep. I had packed that day, so when I woke in the moring after the better sleep packing was relatively easy (although it was raining that morning so our tent was cold and wet, and our pegs had vanished). After breakfast we set off in our groups, sticking partly to our routine of alternating front, back, together, before some issues forced us to return to normal all paddling. One point of interest on the canoe back was that my dry bag fell out of the boat, although it was quickly recovered and my items were dry. We passed over a tidal sand bar, before docking, unloading, debriefing and heading off back to civilization.
I learned some very interesting things over the span of the camp. For example I learned that so close to a major city (Vancouver), there are areas of remote peace that are seemingly untouched by nature. Another is that spending three days with people can increase a bit of tension, although on the contrary the fact that we did that and managed to bond even closer just goes to show how close of a group we are. I learned some physical skills like how to paddle (although I didn't fully pick that one up until the end), and some more abstract skills, like risk-taking and co-operation. The camp itself has definitely been the best one yet. It has given me and my peers more independence and freedom to do what we wanted, and this let us explore at our own pace and where we wanted to. We could make the most of our camp. The three days were easy, and very quick as well. It didn't feel nearly three days long, and yet I will remember this camp with fondness, as I hope will all of my canoeing friends as well.
Until next year!
-Derek
