You Can Kayak

January 4, 2011

Teen Whitewater Kayaking Adventure — Camp Kayak Adventures!

One of the great things about camp is being able to try out activities and sports you’ve never been able to try. Outdoor adventure sports are a good example of this. For example, take whitewater kayak adventures. There are so many things about kayaking that make it difficult for the average teen girl to go out on a whitewater river. You need specialized equipment (whitewater kayak, padding, spray skirt, life jacket, and helmet), transportation (getting to a river “put in” and back from a “take out”), and instruction (a competent and experienced teacher), not to mention a whitewater river with a range of rapids to run. Bringing all this together is an absolute minimum if you’re going to enjoy a safe kayak adventure trip.

Camp is really the best way to be introduced to an adventure activity like whitewater kayaking. At Rockbrook, we’ve got everything you need. Plus, we’re located in the perfect place to try multiple rivers. You can learn the basics of kayaking on our lake… how to use the gear, roll and/or wet exit the boat, and paddle efficiently. Then, we’ve developed good steps to add just the right amount of challenge as we head out for trips on one of the local whitewater rivers (more than 6 different ones!).

No matter how old you are, and no matter what your experience is with whitewater, you can kayak.

Kayakers, Potters & Sharp Shooters

August 6, 2010

By Jeff Carter

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The riflery instructor Paige has been announcing a lot of names lately of girls joining the “Bullseye Club.” Being able to shoot a bullseye in riflery is not easy. It really does take a great deal of practice to learn how to sight the rifles and remain steady while shooting. Each rifle can have its own quirks to consider as well. That’s why the girls will tell you about their favorite gun, all of which, by the way, have names like Othello, Captain Jack, and the Fresh Prince.

In pottery, Katie and Will, our dynamic lead ceramics instructors, are inspiring the campers to create some really cool pieces. In addition to simple tiles pressed with nature patterns, they’ve been making mugs from clay slabs, adding complex designs, a handle, and colorful glazes. We’ve also seen amazing sculptures of animals and trees, and plenty of pots being thrown on the wheel. We’re beginning to fire all of this session’s pieces in the kilns, so it won’t be long before we can see how all the pottery turns out.

Today was also a day of tie dyeing in “Hodge Podge.” This happens about once a week around here. We bring out the gloves, rubber bands, and squirt bottles of dye, and pre-soak the shirts in a mild solution of urea (which helps dissolve more dye in water and keep the shirts wet longer). Armed with multiple colors of dye, the girls love twisting, tying, and folding the shirts. You’ll be amazed when you see how they turn out.

The kitchen treated us to “International Day” today, with each meal inspired by a different ethnic cuisine. Breakfast was probably the most unusual— a traditional Tico (Costa Rican) breakfast of scrambled eggs, black beans and rice, sliced avocado, slabs of mild white cheese, salsa and fresh berries. For lunch, we switched to Mediterranean food and had homemade hummus, falafel, pita bread, olives, feta cheese, tomato and cucumber salad. And at dinner, out came steak fajitas (with grilled onions and peppers), beans, tortillas, fresh guacamole, chips, cheese and salsa. This was a great day to eat at camp!

Clyde, Kelsey and Tara took an advanced kayaking trip to the Nantahala river today as well. They packed a lunch and headed to the river for the whole day with a small group of seniors. The Nantahala has a few technical rapids but also a several gentler sections making the trip a nice mix of action and time to talk. Clyde is great about telling girls about the river and coaching them as they approach each rapid. Back at camp, the girls were excited to report clean runs through the last big rapid, the Nantahala Falls, with only one swimmer at the very end. That’s a great accomplishment!

Climbing, Kayaking and Cabin Day

July 28, 2010

By Jeff Carter

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First let’s mention the muffins. They were another Rockbrook original today, this time invented and baked by veteran baker Annabel: Tootsie Roll Muffins. Yes, after some experimenting, she figured out how to include a piece of the chewy chocolate candy in each muffin before baking, and man were they awesome.

The morning kept us all involved in our regular camp activities. Since it was the third day of the sequence, we were finishing up lots of craft projects, improving our shooting skills at archery and riflery, and tackling more advanced outdoor adventure challenges. For example, down at the lake, Kelsey held a kayaking roll clinic with the kayakers. This is learning to roll your kayak back upright after it turns upside down. If you’ve never done it before, it’s a challenging sequence of hip, head, shoulder and paddle moves, all coordinated to roll the boat up. It’s not easy, and ordinarily takes lots of practice, but several of the girls made good progress and now can almost do it unassisted.

Rock climbing camps girl at the top Tara, Katherine and Kiersten took a group of girls rock climbing on Castle Rock for the morning. This is the big outcropping of granite on the camp property that you can see from the hill. It’s just a short walk up behind the dining hall, and since it’s on our property, access is really easy and always guaranteed. We have 6 different routes established on Castle Rock, and for this trip they set up the 3 called “Whim,” “Wham” and “Bam.” Bam is the longest and most difficult of these three— about 90 feet beginning with a gentle dihedral that turns into an exposed face climb at the top. The view of the French Broad River valley is incredible from the ledge at the finish. Don’t worry; getting down is a simple matter of the belayer lowering the climber down on the rope. There were several really good climbers in that group!

After lunch, we had our Wednesday “cabin day.” This is a time when we do special activities together in our cabin groups instead of following each camper’s individual activity schedule. This allows each cabin to decide what they’d like to do and to enjoy a little extra time together.

Some cabins just hang out and play games in their cabin, while others choose to go on a hike to Rockbrook Falls, or Stick Biscuit Falls on the camp property. Some head to the gym for a game there and others make some kind of snack in the dining hall… cookies or “Puppy chow,” for example. Occasionally, we’ll take an entire age group out of camp for a special trip, like today when we gathered up all the Seniors and headed to Sliding Rock. A brief thunderstorm moved out just in time for us to enjoy a few trips down the rock, and to stop at Dolly’s Dairy Bar for an ice cream cone before heading back to camp for dinner.

Oh, and speaking of dinner, it featured some of Rick’s homemade pizza. You should see the gigantic blob of dough he makes for the crust! Pepperoni, Veggie, Cheese, even Pesto; they were all great. With a big green salad and Annabel’s puff-pastries for dessert, the girls loved it! They even busted out the “Cook’s Song,” something they sing when inspired by an especially yummy meal. Good stuff.

All in all another great day in “the heart of a wooded mountain.” Feel free to leave comments on these blog posts. We always appreciate hearing from you!

Camp Circus Picnic

July 15, 2010

By Jeff Carter

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Today was a day of boating over on the Nantahala River. While the regular activities kept folks busy in camp— horses ridden, rocks climbed, games played and arts created —Clyde, Kelsey and Christine took a group of our more advanced kayakers out for the day. These are girls who have spent plenty of time working on their paddling skills and who have run other whitewater rivers. Several of the rapids on the Nantahala require precise paddling along specific lines. They require catching eddies and real concentration despite the roar of the whitewater. With Clyde leading (have you read Clyde’s profile?) and with Kelsey and Christine also instructing, the campers had outstanding models to follow and were well supervised. All day the campers paddled superbly, showing their enthusiasm and proving their skills on each challenge. The final, and largest rapid on the river gave everyone some trouble, but with the exception of the very last wave, all the campers handled it very well.

Meanwhile, another group, this time of Middlers, was rafting the Nantahala at the same time. Most of these girls, in contrast, had never been rafting or experienced the thrill of whitewater boating. We met our regular crew of guides at the put-in and geared everyone up with helmets, PFDs (life jackets or “personal flotation devices”) and paddles. Steff gave the group the safety talk explaining how to hold the paddle, how to sit in the boat, and what to do if you fall out into the river. Each boat of five or six campers has an experienced Rockbrook guide, so even if the girls forget something from the safety talk, there’s an adult right there to assist. Do you know how to catch a throw rope? Your camper does! The weather was nice and sunny, always a welcome buffer to the chill of the Nantahala’s water.

The girls back at camp, also enjoying excellent sunny weather, had a picnic lunch out on the hill. Rick and the other kitchen folks whipped up mounds of homemade coleslaw and grilled hamburgers for everyone. Add some cheese, lettuce, sliced local tomatoes, mayo, ketchup and mustard if you like, grab a cup of lemonade, and you’ve got a classic summertime meal. Top it off with a slice of watermelon, and what could be better?

Today was also circus dress up day at camp, a chance for the girls to pull out their costume accessories and become their favorite circus character. The were several brightly colored performers, mostly in leotards and tutus, but probably the most common costume was dressing as a clown. We saw huge funny shoes, goofy hats and plenty of over-sized glasses. There weren’t any wild animals to be tamed or do tricks, but we did see at least one pink fuzzy creature!

This month we’ve had 33 girls who have had their birthday while at camp. While some days there might be none, on others there are several girls on the same day (like 4 today!). The kitchen is always sure to bake each birthday girl a cake, and usually members of her cabin get together to help decorate it in true Rockbrook style, i.e. lots of frosting and candy 🙂 . The cabin mates often make a big colorful sign to hang in the dining hall as well. When the cake is brought out, candles lit, the whole dining hall sings Happy Birthday and ends with the chant, “Tell us when to stop!” One giant handclap, in unison, for each year— it’s a real celebration. Have you seen the Rockbrook Camp Youtube Channel? It’s got several short videos we’ve uploaded, including a birthday song to Carrie. Go check it out!

Adventure Sports and Storytelling

July 1, 2010

By Jeff Carter

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Things are really in full gear at camp these days. Everyone has learned most of the songs, making the dining hall a deafening place at times… there’s something about that “Austrian Went Yodeling” song that really gets the girls going. We’ve begun everyone’s second set of activities, so there’s new crafts being made (pottery bowls, sewn pillows, knitted hats, and tie dye t-shirts), new bullseyes in archery and riflery, and new tricks on the alpine tower. Up in the Junior lodge, the drama activity is spending time practicing for this session’s musical Annie. It’s so nice to wander by and hear the girls singing a song from the play. I’m sure it will be a wonderful performance. Down on the tennis courts, a class of seniors were having fun playing a game of rotating doubles (after each point, the winning pair stays to challenge a new pair, and so forth). At the lake, there were canoers out and 2 girls in whitewater kayaks learning how to roll. Lots of action!

In addition, there were several outdoor adventure trips out of camp. Clyde and Kelsey packed a lunch and took a group of girls kayaking on the lower Green River. Junior Line Head, and seasoned paddler Christine went along as well to help Tor our videographer capture some footage of the trip. We’re updating our camp DVD this summer, so you can look forward to seeing that footage. Heading off in another direction was Tara, Edith and Jackie leading eight other girls on a backpacking and camping trip in the Pisgah National Forest. With their tents, food, water and cooking equipment, they were loaded down, but with 11 people going, it was easy to distribute the weight. Jeff took the Hi-Ups out for a short waterfall hike, and Mallory ran several girls up to Castle Rock for a day of rock climbing too. Plenty of adventure to go around.

For tonight’s evening program we had a special guest come to camp, Gary Greene a local Brevard storyteller and musician. All the girls gathered in the Senior Lodge to enjoy several stories, songs and skits Gary brought to perform. He’s a very talented guy and is great at pulling in the audience to participate. He had the girls hooting with laughter and at other times perfectly silent as they listened. That’s not easy to do with more than 200 people! The counselors performed a few skits too with plenty of camper involvement. The whole evening was very nice, and while not as goofy or silly as other things at camp, the girls enjoyed it immensely.

Bedtime at camp is probably a lot like at home but with a few bits of added excitement. For example, each night the girls have milk and cookies (another fantastic treat from baker Liz!) before bed. This is one of those long Rockbrook traditions started before anyone can remember and continued today. It’s a nice social time among all the girls and counselors of each line. After dressing in pajamas and visiting the “Deducky” (RBC lingo for bathroom. Why? Again, nobody is quite sure, even some of the older alumnae we know!) to brush their teeth, the girls usually take a few minutes to talk about their day in the cabin. The counselors lead the group as everyone mentions their “Pows and Wows,” a high point and low point of what happened that day. It’s another way for the girls to get to know their cabin mates, learn from each other, and feel good about the day. A little bit of quiet time in their bunks and then it’s lights out for everyone. You might think it would be hard to sleep in a cabin with 9 or so other people, but when we stay this busy at camp all day long, sleeping comes easily. Next thing you know, you’re hearing the wake up bell and it’s time to hop up for more camp fun!

Campers on the Move

June 18, 2010

By Jeff Carter

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The weather has been absolutely perfect these last few days with bright sunny skies, lower humidity, and milder temperatures. First thing, we all layered up with a fleece or sweatshirt to temper the fog and cool 65 degree morning, but later happily swam in the lake and relaxed in the sun.

Today the kitchen crew made us all a delicious lunch of tilapia tacos, homemade guacamole, rice, beans, salsa and cheese. With corn chips, our regular salad bars, and the peanut butter and jelly station as an option, everyone was nicely stuffed for rest hour. Dinner was also excellent. We had baked chicken breasts (or tofu) and basmati rice, Otis’s amazing peanut Gado Gado sauce, spinach salad, and brownies for desert. Oh, by the way, Otis says fresh lime juice and coconut is the secret to his sauce.

A group of the senior girls took an all-day kayaking trip to the Nantahala River with Clyde, Kelsey and Christine. This is a more advanced kayaking river, so these girls knew their stuff. They are comfortable in their boats, know how to catch eddies, ferry, and handle the class 2 and 3 rapids of the river. Back at camp, we heard that the trip went great with everyone making clean runs, and no one flipping their boats. Another, very different, trip also went out today: Juniors rock climbing Castle Rock, one of the huge rock faces on the camp property. Katherine took them up to hop on the route called “Bam.” This is the longest and most exposed route. Towards the top, you can turn around and see the French Broad River Valley from what looks like 1000 feet up (even though it’s really about 80 feet from the base of the rock). It took a while to make the climbs, but even these 2nd and 3rd graders could tackle this climb. Pretty cool.

The afternoon riding classes enjoyed bareback riding today. The girls love this because it allows them to ride several horses in the same lesson (musical horses!), and to really feel their horse while riding. Cara, our Riding Director, plans this every so often to mix things up a bit, and because it helps the girls work on their balance while riding.

A short walk from the center of camp is our “Outpost” camping area where our juniors can sleep out. Tara took 2 more cabins out there after dinner. This is big fun for the girls. Imagine a slumber party with sleeping bags all lined up, pillows, a couple of stuffed animals, card games, flashlights, and lots and lots of giggles and chatting. Now imagine it out in a dense forest on a tent platform under a tarp. They build a campfire, roast marshmallows, and of course sing songs and tell stories into the night. Everyone’s a little tired when they get back to camp in the morning, but it’s the “good” kind of tired we thrive on at camp.

A Full Camp Day

June 10, 2010

By Jeff Carter

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It was another full, busy day at Rockbrook Camp today with campers signed up for trips, special activities available, and a fun day-long theme to add even more silliness to the mix. Everyone was excited to learn about the surprise theme— Cartoon Character Day. This is when campers and counselors dress up as their favorite cartoon character. It’s certainly optional, but it was fun to see Minnie Mouse, the Tasmanian Devil, several princesses, and even spider woman running around camp. There are some very creative girls here who are always looking for a reason to dress up.

After our excellent breakfast of bacon, home fries, fresh cut fruit, yogurt and cereal, several outdoor adventure trips packed up to leave camp. Clyde and Kelsey took a small group of senior girls for a day of whitewater kayaking on the lower section of the Green River. Also, the oldest campers, our “Hi-Ups” who have finished the 10th grade, went hiking in Dupont State Forest. They hiked to Hooker Falls and climbed down to the pool of water below to wade in a bit (and take photos of course!). After the early morning fog burned off, the skies were a wonderful sunny blue, making this a beautiful trip.

Every few days or so, Jessi leads a morning Yoga class for anyone interested. Everyone gathers in the stone “Hillside Lodge,” spreads out across the wood floor with their mats, and moves through a series of beginner Hatha Yoga poses. With calm music playing, and good friends all around, it’s a very relaxing time, and it feels so good! It’s surprising how much enthusiasm there is for these yoga classes, even from girls who have never tried it before. Jessi’s teaching is a big part of that, I suspect.

For our evening activity today, we had a very special campfire with our friend Gary Greene who is a talented story teller and musician. All the campers and counselors gathered at the Spirit Fire area to enjoy Gary’s stories (“Peanut Butter,” for example) and to sing several songs (e.g., “Little Cabin in the Woods” and “The Frog Song”). Michelle helped by staging a few jokes, and leading several RBC songs as well. One highlight was his reading of Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky while a few campers and counselors acted out different parts. Everyone was really engaged and entertained all evening. We loved it!

The smell of wood smoke outdoors, the sounds of crickets and frogs from the lake, being together like this in such a beautiful setting, signing and laughing … that’s real camp.

Camp Kayaking Adventure

December 11, 2009

By Jeff Carter

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Part of the adventure program at Rockbrook is whitewater kayaking. It teaches girls the important safety and paddling skills to enjoy this great outdoor activity. Summer adventure camps in this area are a great places to learn about whitewater kayaking.

OK, but what is that thing she’s wearing? Well, it’s not a new fashion statement in bathing suits. It’s a kayaking spray skirt, and it’s one of the most important bits of equipment in this adventure (as is the boat, paddle, helmet and PFD). Most whitewater spray skirts are made of soft neoprene. They are designed to fit tightly about the paddler and around the rim (“coaming”) of the kayak’s opening (“cockpit”)… not too tight and not too loose. It’s purpose is to keep water out of the boat when paddling, but especially when rolling back up after a flipping. You can imagine that the skirt, which is like a little wetsuit for your middle, also helps keep you warm boating through a chilly mountain river. They feel a little funny when you first try one on, but also pretty cool since it’s such an adventure sort of thing to wear.

Learning to kayak at summer camp is great fun, even if you’ve never tried it before. We’ll help you each step of the way, provide all the equipment (yep, even the spray skirt!), and cheer for you as you get better and better. You’ll be smiling too!

You Can Kayak

Kayakers, Potters & Sharp Shooters

Climbing, Kayaking and Cabin Day

Camp Circus Picnic

Adventure Sports and Storytelling

Campers on the Move

A Full Camp Day

Camp Kayaking Adventure

Camp Photos

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Camp Photos

Camp Photos

Important Links

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