Overnights
Walking around Johns Island last night, you would have found Camp unusually quiet; no campfires in units, no whispered conversations in tents, no outhouse doors slamming, just a blanket of bright stars and the sound of waves. Where are all the campers? They are out on overnights!
What does that mean when we talk about overnights at Camp Nor’wester? A brief description of the Camp Nor’wester outcamp program can be found on our website (norwester.org/program/overnight-outcamp-programs/), but we wanted to use this opportunity to go a little deeper.
All units go on an overnight each week. These nights spent away from the main camp are an opportunity to develop outdoor skills, gain familiarity with the environment, and bond as a unit. Nor’wester’s overnight program follows a graduated system, so campers hone their skills each week and encounter new challenges each year they return.
For Archers and Explorers, all overnights are a short walk from main camp. Rangers and Mariners get their first off-island experience in the second and third weeks of the session when they are driven to a nearby island in camp’s boats. The following year, Vagabonds and Pioneers have a two-night overnight on Orcas Island that involves hiking to their campsite; they also canoe to a property on the other side of Johns Island, experiencing for the first time traveling a distance to get themselves to a location. Campers go on Little Big and Big Trips starting Voyageur and Forester year. When they are not out on trips, the eight oldest units each have one off-island and one on-property overnight. The Voyageurs and Foresters kayak to a neighboring island. Wayfarers and Islanders have a two-night overnight; this year, they either went camping at Moran State Park, paddled to another island in the Ravens Nest canoe, or camped on Jones Island. The Pathfinders and Navigators return to the mainland for a rock climbing overnight. Finally, the Mountaineers and Troubadours paddle the Raven’s Nest or Hunt Canoes.
Overnights have a general flow. Ahead of each overnight, campers learn how to pack appropriately. The last items packed are food and cooking equipment, which are picked up from Pack Out at pre-assigned times. Once they have everything, units head to their overnight locations. Upon arrival, they set up camp, which includes sorting food and building tarp shelters (it’s VERY important to have a good tarp shelter in case of rain, even if you’re not going to sleep under it). Depending on the timing, there might be a time to hang out or explore before starting a fire for dinner. Overnight meals are ideally cooked over a fire but sometimes necessitate a camping stove. Campers learn knife skills, food prep, outdoor cooking, and how to wash dishes in nature. Before bed, Unit Leaders facilitate some sort of reflection or group activity.
In the morning, groups pack up their camping site and make breakfast. Sometimes, overnights are an opportunity to sleep in a little or have a slow, relaxed morning before returning to Pack In. Each unit returns to the Pack Out Porch at an assigned time, where they sort their trash and wash dishes.
