by Amber Gaye

Created on: March 03, 2009   Last Updated: March 07, 2009

Looking back on the time I spent as a camp counselor, I'm not so sure that placing a teenager in charge of a dozen 10 year old girls is truly the wisest choice. We certainly had a lot of fun though, and I know that all those screaming little ones, taught me some valuable lessons.

I remember one year in particular, I wanted to be very involved and creative. I decided to take my girls on an overnight canoe trip. We would canoe down the length of Lake Hemlock, then into the small adjoining Lake Carpenter. From there, we'd enter Long Lake and camp on a tiny island near the shoreline. There was another summer camp located on the shores of Long Lake, so it wasn't as if we were headed to the middle of the wilderness. I figured this little trip would be great fun and provide a chance for my campers to see some of the wildlife in the area.

As I gathered the necessary supplies, I had the girls pack their sleeping bags and essentials. Then I reported my plans to the camp director. The one thing I forgot to do was to check the weather report.

I imagine that my little band of girls and I made quite the spectacle. Packing our canoes and preparing to set out on our great outdoor adventure, we were very sure of ourselves and anxious to get under way. Some of the boys were quite envious, a fact that the girls relished as they waved their sweet good-byes to the boys standing on the sandy shore!

Just as the trip began to lose its excitement, when the girls began to complain about having to wear life vests for so long, we came to the end of Lake Hemlock. This was it! Here we were at the end of the known, preparing to enter the mysterious Lake Carpenter. Most campers at Camp Hemlock miss this delightful sight, never leaving the confines of the camp's grounds and surrounding swimming area, but my girls were embarking on an adventure!

Lake Carpenter had always been a favorite canoing destination for me. To access this smaller lake, boaters must lean all the way back in the canoe (as if you're doing the limbo) in order to glide under a low arching pedestrian bridge. When you come out the other side, its as if you've crossed some time-space barrier and entered the world of a Pre-Raphaelite
painting. The lake feels cloistered, small and safe, protected from any modern influence. Entering Lake Carpenter by boat was a magical experience as you pass through the darkness of the tunnel, and then out into the brilliant light of day...the surface of the water before you carpeted with lilies.

This

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