Yesterday we took two groups of girls whitewater rafting on the Nantahala river, a group of Seniors in the morning and Middlers in the afternoon. Cool morning fog turned into absolutely perfect rafting weather with bright sunshine and warm temperatures, an ideal combination to buffer the 50-degree water. Both trips were equally lucky by avoiding the spotty thunderstorms that were forecast for the day.
Weather like this adds to fun, the playful, silly, often hilarious ride along the river. These rafting trips are a complete blast! The 2-hour trip, from put-in to take-out, alternates between calm floating sections and heart-pounding splashy rapids that send the girls screaming and laughing with delight. Along the way, each boat poses for the camera, waving, making a “high five” with their paddles, or “playing dead,” for example. Of course, falling out of the boat is part of the experience, sometimes accidentally when the boat hits a rock unexpectedly, and sometimes intentionally as a chance to cool off. Either way, those left in the boat work together to pull the swimmer back aboard, all while roaring with laughter. This kind of camaraderie can’t be beat.
The final rapid, a thrilling Class-III double-drop called the “Nantahala Falls,” is an awesome finale. It never fails to deliver high intensity, wide-eyed screams as the boats drop in and are briefly engulfed in whitewater. At the bottom, the girls look at each other in disbelief. “Yeah! We made it!” Like all great adventures, there’s a sense of celebration, a true feeling of success, afterwards. It’s just one type of fun we enjoy at camp.
You probably haven’t heard, but we rebuilt the Rockbrook Health Hut this year. What was once a staff cabin called “2×4” had been converted into the camp infirmary back in the 1990s. It was a small building that served us well, but recently as our team of nurses has grown (now 5 per session) to meet the increasing health care needs of our campers and staff, we decided more space would be helpful.
We worked with a local architect, and now have a wonderful, perfectly suited building. Most significantly, we now have a dozen air-conditioned overnight beds, quarantine rooms, efficient medication storage, additional bathrooms, treatment rooms, nurses’ office and accommodations. My favorite part is the covered porch on the front, with its stone approach, outdoor lighting and seating. We love how the building turned out and are really happy that the entire Rockbrook community can now enjoy the upgrade. Be sure to stop by and see it the next time you’re at camp!
So much fun!