2018 was our turn to go up to Camp in the Adirondacks of New York. This is definitely our favorite place in the world to visit an look forward to it for so long when we aren't there!
At Camp, we have many traditions, some old and some new. One that we started 3 visits ago was a paddle around the whole lake. When we started this tradition, we could all fit in one canoe, with some kiddos on my and Rebecca's backs. This year, we borrowed a kayak from friends so that we could split up the load.
I should note here that Olivia, for her AHG Canoeing Badge, had to plan a 4-hour canoe trip with waypoints and directions, so we let her mark the waypoints as we went and she directed the crew as we went along.
Along the way, we passed our resident family of ducks. I don't know enough about ducks to say whether it's the same family that we encounter here every year, but there is one every year that comes around the dock, looking for handouts. We NEVER feed them, though.
There were a few fairly adventurous dragonflies that kept hovering around the kayak. Gabe managed to get on on his paddle.
We saw lots of water lilies, both white,
and yellow.
Of course, at a couple of points, we got out of the canoes and took a little time to cool off and swim around and explore.
The boys always manage to find freshwater mussels in the sand.
On our way around, we managed to stop a this outcrop of rocks near the far side of the lake. They are a couple hundred feet off shore and a cool area to stop and climb around on.
Another tradition that's been around as long as I can remember is puzzles. In a world with no TV, no phones, no internet, etc, the only entertainment is that which you can make for yourself. Puzzles have always been a pastime at Camp. This year we brought a series of them with us. We found this set of 5 by the same artist that really feel like Camp.
The log cabins, pine trees, lakes and animals in the paintings really give a Camp feeling to them.
A new thing the kids have really gotten into now that they are all of ages that they can play together is board games. Camp had a few up there that the kids just fell in love with like Monopoly and Life.
Another newer tradition we started last time we were up was floating below Buttermilk Falls in Long Lake.
The creek below the falls is deep enough to float for a few hundred feet downstream and then walk back up and do it again.
Of course, the water is freezing cold, but you get over that pretty quickly.
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