Posts Tagged ‘summer camp waterfront’

Sailing at Camp Starlight

Monday, March 23rd, 2015

When you think about summer, most of the images that race through your mind include two things: sun and water. Whether it’s laying out by the pool, running through the sprinklers, or zipping through the waves on a boat or jet ski, or contemplating life’s mysteries while casting a line out to fish, the summer is meant to be spent heating up in the sun and cooling down in the water. This is why so many campers enjoy learning to sail when they spend the summer at Camp Starlight.

Sailing is an exciting water activity that allows campers to work as a team to reach a common goal. It is a great way to spend the afternoon soaking up the sun, and creates a bond between sailors that can’t be created anywhere else.

Screen Shot 2015-03-23 at 11.18.06 AMCampers who learn to sail aren’t just learning how to maneuver a large vessel through the water (however that is a big accomplishment!) Everything about learning to sail is a learning opportunity. Math and science are weaved into the fun and challenging sport of sailing. Sailors will learn about the importance of aerodynamics when it comes to the position of the sale. They will learn to read a compass and become confident navigating their way to and from a destination without the help of the GPS on their smartphones. They will learn to solve problems quickly, to be observant of their surroundings, and will find a new appreciation for Mother Nature. Campers who try sailing leave with a “boat load” of useful skills and practical information that will help them for the rest of their lives.

Even if they never have to deal with air pressure or thinking about the curvature of a sail, they will learn to work as a team, follow directions and appreciate the quietness. Sometimes young kids and teenagers have a hard time dealing with quiet, or feel anxious when they don’t have something to entertain them at every second. Sailing is good practice for just sitting back and enjoying nature, and is a great way for campers to learn to be comfortable in their own silence. All of the sailing adventures are guided and supervised by certified instructors, so everyone is kept safe while they are having fun.

The beauty of the lakes surrounding Camp Starlight is a reason all on their own to take up sailing. The view from the sailboat can’t be put into words, and campers write home how much they loved spending their afternoons out on the lake.

Campers have hundreds of opportunities to try new things while they spend their summers at camp, and learning to sail is another great way to expose them to things they may never have a chance to try at home. It also gives them a sense of accomplishment that they can succeed at anything they put their mind to.

The Camp Starlight Waterfront

Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

One of the most popular program areas at Camp Starlight is the waterfront. With two private lakes housing separate boy’s and girl’s swimming areas, the pool, the boating dock, waterskiing,and wakeboarding. there are always fun times going on down by the lake. However, the swimming program at Camp Starlight has much more to offer campers than just a splashing good time. The benefits of learning how to swim and proper water safety are useful for years to come.

First of all, by learning to swim at a young age, children are given the confidence needed to be in any environment involving water. It gives them a comfort on family vacations, school field trips, and they may even enjoy it enough to try water sports. They may find themselves at pool parties or beach trips, and with the ability to swim, they experience a sense of achievement when they are able to confidently spend time with friends and family.

To establish an environment in which children will grow comfortable in their swimming ability, Camp Starlight ensures the waterfront staff is well trained and highly experienced and certified in Red Cross “Lifeguarding” and “Swimming and Water Safety” Courses as well as the Red Cross“First Aid/CPR and AED” training courses. The heads of the waterfronts also meet with their staff to discuss and share tactics in handling swimmer anxiety during lessons and the properly analyzing swimming skill levels to help provide individual campers with the instruction most beneficial to them.  Most importantly to our campers, of course, is the fact that we make sure our counselors down on the waterfront are full of new and exciting games to make swim instruction the most FUN it can possibly be!

During swim instruction periods, a camper can expect to learn a wide range of aquatic skills. Lessons range in difficulty from basic skills, such as treading and floating, all the way to stroke technique development in the four key strokes. No matter the ability level with which the child enters the summer, there is a place for him or her in swim instruction. The best benefit in spending a summer at the Starlight waterfront is that campers will leave the summer with a sense of accomplishment, whether it is their first time to pass the swim test or because they made a personal best time at the Wayne County Swim Meet. And of course that they have an absolute blast doing it!