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| How camp changed my life |
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| published 2003 |
| By |
Name: Mike Bareikis
Age: 18
Interests: Whitewater paddling, camping, snowboarding
Camp: Strathcona Park lodge
Program: Wilderness Youth Leadership Development
Length of trip: 21 days
The friendships, sights and sounds I experienced when I took part in a Wilderness Youth Leadership Development program through Strathcona Park Lodge adventure camp will forever be a part of me. Being with 10 people from different parts of the world whom I had never met before was quite an experience.
We practised no-trace camping skills, which involved leaving our camping areas in the same condition — or even better — than when we arrived. The way the instructors explained our impact on the environment changed the way I look at the wilderness. I think I speak for us all when I say we gained a higher respect for nature.
For the first section of the course, we paddled around Nootka Sound, learning about our surroundings and how the tides work. We were encouraged to learn about whatever interested us.
In the second section, we camped at a place called Crest Creek Crags. I climbed there until I just couldn’t climb any more. The members of my group pushed each other to our physical limits because we all wanted to be the best. I feel we all were.
The third section was a multi-day mountain trip during which we traversed The Golden Hinde, the highest peak on Vancouver Island. It was beautiful.
During our leadership program we designated a leader each day. After dinner every night we went around the circle talking about the strengths and weaknesses of that day’s leader as well as anything else we wanted to say.
I found being the leader for a day to be quite nerve-racking at first because of the responsibility of getting my group to where we were suppose to go. But as I settled into my role, I gained more confidence and it just started to feel natural.
Coming back from this intense camping experience and seeing the city makes me want to make more time for trips like this one. You don’t know what you’re missing until you experience something that involves nature on a higher level. I can’t wait to go back!
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August 03, 2010 |  0 comment
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August 03, 2010 | 0 comment
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