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GIRL SCOUT CAMP...MY BEST SUMMER July 25
Dear Journal,
I'm finally here! Back among the beautiful green trees, the laughter of
new friends, and the fresh smell of Girl Scout Camp Quapaw. As always, I'm in
the sailing unit. My buddy's name is Kara. We met at Songs and it was an
instant friendship. After we had met our six councilors and eight other
campers, we set off to the pool. While the councilors tried to squeeze out
the energy in us campers, Kara and I started an uproarious singing of "Black
Socks." After a few startled glances, everyone joined in. From then on, Kara
and I were labeled as "the inseparable pair of mouths on feet."
July 26
Dear Journal, Today was our first day on the sailboats! After Oski, one of the
councilors, gave us a brief reminder on how to sail, we rigged four boats and
paired up for buddy sailing. Kara and I would be in the second group to sail.
After launching six girls and two councilors, the rest of us sat down to
discuss what we wanted to do. Since we were a small group of sixteen, the
councilors said that we should try to get permission for an overnight trip to
a nearby lake. The four of us who weren't in a boat were very enthusiastic.
"That would be so?" Brittany had started when she was interrupted by a loud
splash and resounding laughter. Ginger and Tribble, the two councilors, had
capsized! After helping to haul out the drenched sail, Kara and I were
launched. We had a great time, laughing as we recited Jabberwocky together at
the top of our lungs.
July 27
Dear Journal, The council has agreed to let us go on an overnight trip to Lake
Aquila! On the 30th and 31st, we will be canoeing and swimming thirty miles
from camp! Today we played Ducky Scoop in the sailboats. As we were sailing,
we had to pick up Rubber Ducks that had been strewn about the lake. Kara and
I had collected quite a few, with her scooping and me sailing, but she
decided to get one that was three feet away. Only a fast lean to the other
side of the boat saved us from tipping as water rushed into the boat! As
Kara bailed out the water, she also let loose a lot of ducks! As she scooped
some ducks back into the boat, I sailed us towards the middle of the lake,
both of us laughing hysterically!
July 28
Dear Journal, Kara and I finally figured out the fast-paced "Dig-a-Duck" song that
kitchen staff taught us at first night campfire. We drove everybody except
the councilors crazy all day, giggling through the words. As we were turning
off our flashlights to go to sleep, we started it. "You can hear the digger
say?" "Go To Sleep!!!" yelled our three cabin mates as three pillows knocked
us over.
July 29
Dear Journal, Today the councilors let us take out the Holder 12 sailboat, which is
about four feet taller than what we're used to. It goes a lot faster and is a
lot easier to capsize. Wooftie, one of the councilors, took us out one at a
time to teach us how to upright the boat if we tipped it over. We purposely
tipped it over, just so that we could get it upright! As the last girl was
coming in, it began to drizzle. We quickly put the boats away. Then it
started to pour! We sat in the camp museum with soggy sandwiches and
saturated jeans over our bathing suits for an hour. Two councilors, Teddy
Bear and Skittles, ran to the Arts and Crafts building for lanyard string. As
we all made key chains, the councilors taught us "Mariners' Taps" and other
boating songs. That night the councilors made a Sailors' Diner, where they
were waitresses and we were customers. They told us to dress up, but since
none of us had anything nice we all dressed goofy. Kara and I dressed
identical, with one pigtail, the rest of our hair hanging down, socks pulled
over our pant bottoms, an inside-out and backwards black sweater, and a
purple sock on our right hand!
July 30
Dear Journal, I'm at Lake Aquila! We brought five canoes and a kayak. We checked in
and set up camp. Then we went down to the lake for a swim. At night, while
everyone took turns trying to figure out a riddle in my book, we roasted
marshmallows and sang campfire songs. As we climbed into our sleeping bags
under the stars, Wooftie read to us from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul.
As lanterns and flashlights flickered off, Kara and I were knocked flat by
three stuffed animals and a sweater as we started, "You can hear the digger
say?"
July 31
Dear Journal, I think it's funny; there we were in our canoes, paddling among power
boaters with fishermen and water skiers! At night we slept on a crinkling
blue tarp under the stars between two RVs! (That's OK, I'll take stars over
roof any day!) After crawling out of our sleeping bags in the morning, we all
grabbed a bagel and set out to the canoe site two miles away. We unloaded the
boats from the truck and divided ourselves into groups. Kara, Tribble, and I
paddled out with the rest for swamping instructions. We were told that before
tipping the canoe, we needed a buddy canoe to help us upright it. After
further instructions, we paired up with Laura, Brittany, and Oski. While we
held the other canoe still for Oski, we watched as Skittles, Kendra, and
Annalisa refused the help of their buddy canoe. Somehow they managed to get
it upright, but then the current tugged it out of their reach. As we giggled
uncontrollably, Olivia jumped out of her canoe and swam quickly towards the
runaway canoe. When Skittles had managed to heave herself into the boat, they
paddled over to join us at a buoy. The rest of us had tied ourselves to it
and were playing telephone. With Laura swimming from one end to the other
with the message, the rest of us sat in our canoes as the message zigzagged
through us. After Brittany, Olivia, and Kendra ended up with a hilarious,
absurdly long message, Tribble fell out of our boat from laughing so hard and
admitted that she'd been changing the message. When Wooftie called us in, we
raced back. Skittles was alone in her boat because Kendra had joined Oski's
team, and Annalisa had joined our boat. After taking group pictures with the
lake behind us, we left Lake Aquila and returned to Camp Quapaw.
August 1
Dear Journal, Today was our Regatta. We invited the Administrative Staff (Ad Staff)
and the Head Honchos from the Girl Scout Council. We held canoe races,
sailboat races, sand-sculpture contests, and song contests. Kara and I came
in third in the canoe race, second in the sailboat race, and first in sand
sculpting and songs. Our "Billy T. Goat" sand-sculpture won us a Snickers
bar, and our impossibly fast version of the tongue twisting "Dig-a-Duck" won
us a Tootsie Roll Pop. After the contests, the councilors let us take Council
and Ad Staff for rides in the Holder 12. When Laura took out Mimi, one of the
Council Staff, Mimi fell out on a sharp turn! Laura had to turn around again
and capsize the boat so that Mimi could get back in! Tonight was our
Last-Night campfire. Since our unit was hosting it, we led the rest of the
camp in songs and games. By the time we were singing our unit song, I was
sniffling, and when we led the camp song, "Return to Camp Quapaw," Kara and I
were leaning on each other crying. When we had put out the fire with sand,
water, and the traditional "Unit Spit," we headed back to the unit singing
"Taps." After sneaking over to the horseback-riding unit to sing, our cabin
had a long talk about our memories. Ginger pushing Tribble in the pool, Oski
and Skittles somehow managing to fall out of their canoe at the Regatta,
Wooftie leading our Kitchen Appliance Band, and Teddy Bear dumping bleach
over Oski were our favorites.
August 2
Dear Journal, After exchanging phone numbers, addresses, and e-mails, everyone
promised to "KIT," keep in touch with everyone else. There were a lot of hugs
and tears this morning. Kara and I said good-bye with one last "Dig-a-Duck."
As our cars pulled away, we all waved, thinking only of memories that will
last a lifetime. I can't wait until next year!
[Printing Version]