All our First Session campers have now arrived safe and sound on Johns Island!

Arrival day is always exciting and busy and filled with emotion, and today was no exception. So many hugs and waves and high fives! Our campers were thrilled to see old friends and meet new ones at the Anacortes drop-off site, as well as on their boat ride to Camp. And our staff members were just as excited as the campers. Summer 2021 has finally begun!

Large boat full of campers sails on blue water toward the camera

As the boats approached the Johns Island shoreline, the excitement grew and grew – both on board and on land!

From Anacortes, all the campers and their unit staff traveled to Johns Island via charter boats. It was a beautiful, sunny, and unusually hot day to sail on the Salish Sea. The ocean breezes coming over the bow were certainly a welcome relief! On board, unitmates were greeting one another, learning names, and bonding with their counselors. The one-and-a-half to two hour-long boat ride to Camp allows campers a great opportunity to begin forming friendships and coming together as units.

Two women wearing masks help a masked camper disembark from a boat onto a dock

Camp directors Jill (left) and Sheila (right) greeted every camper as they disembarked from the boats.

When the boats arrived at Camp’s dock, campers disembarked to wild applause as our gathered staff cheered and waved in welcome. Campers then walked with their unit leaders and fellow campers up to the Lodge, where our nursing staff was ready to greet them, check them in, and perform lice checks. Then it was time to gather in the units where the campers will be living. Unit staff welcomed campers into their assigned tipis and continued to facilitate introductions among unitmates.

Campers walk up the dock ramp with water in the background

Stepping onto Johns Island for the first time this summer!

Dinner, dessert, and singing followed. How wonderful it was to be together again in our great open-air Lodge! And as dusk began to fall, campers headed back to their units to await the delivery of their trunks and luggage. Once the final bags are received, campers will begin settling into their tipis and winding down for the night. Tomorrow will be a full day of program orientations and the opening campfire, so unit staff are making sure that all the campers get to bed early. It’s been a big day!

We’re so excited to have our First Session campers with us for an unforgettable summer on Johns Island!

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