Today the staff learned to tip canoes. I was dreading it more than anyone, although I kept telling them how fun it would be. It has been in the 60s and rainy and I wasn't looking forward to getting into the cold lake.
Last year I was also dreading the experience and decided it would be fine to explain the process instead of practicing. Halfway though the summer, the staff took a weekend canoe trip across the lake and one group accidentally tipped over. No one knew how to get the water out of the canoe and the people back in and so I found myself training them while we floated in the middle of a windy, wavy lake with two staff panicking in the water.
And so this year, we practiced. Because I have a firm rule for myself that as a leader, I have to be willing to do anything I ask my staff to do, I volunteered myself and S to be the first canoe to tip, so we could show everyone what to do.
Actually, it wasn't that bad. The water was SHOCKINGLY, take-your-breath-away FREEZING when we first tipped in, but after a minute or two of treading water and wrestling with the canoe, I warmed up. The entire process went pretty fast and I was back in the canoe with my sweatshirt on in only a few minutes. Every staff pair tipped, helped rescue and, as a group, everyone was super encouraging. It was a great day of bonding and I am confident that this year, they can help each other if anyone falls in.
1 comment:
that is why i teach in a classroom and not at camp. no way in hell i'd tip a canoe on purpose into a freezing lake. or a warm one. i'm sure it was really great though.
Post a Comment