More Overnights–

Published on July 5, 2017June 28, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Campouts were always an adventure, whether they were away from camp or nearby. Edna Young (1932) shared her experience of her local hike. “One day we took an overnight hike about a mile and a half and planned to sleep on the shore, but we had to come home because a storm came up. The lake was not very populated and we had hiked to a place called “Recreation Hill”, which was to the right of the camp as you look across the lake. We walked home holding hands and later the counselors went across the lake to get our blanket rolls by boat. It was nasty and we stayed close to shore. They were might worried about us and there were big lights by the boathouse to direct us back home.”

Susan Bradford (1965) recalled a trip to Rollways for several days with the older girls, when they slept in a pavilion in sleeping bags on a bluff overlooking the AuSable River. “It was a huge gorge with hundreds of steps that took us down to the river. At night we told scary stories, made S’mores by the campfire and enjoyed having our outing away from the younger campers.”

Overnights were always special for Molly Olson and Judy MacNicols(1946), even when they just canoed to the right side of Loon Lake to Hale Park. “We did have an overnight canoe or rowboat trip across the lake for a campout with no tents,” said Judy, who remembered the rowing, campfire with hot dogs and sleeping on the ground “roughing it”.

In 1955 Minette Jacques said only the good swimmers were allowed to take the rowboats and camp overnight at Hale Park, where they made pancakes over the fire. A second overnight was on Chapel Hill with foil hobo dinners, but the fun trips were in the back of the pickup truck singing “We Are The Girls From Camp Maqua” all the way to Rollways, where they camped under the pavilion.

Overnight Camping-

Published on July 3, 2017June 28, 2017 by Kathy Baker

“What Is An Overnight?” The “Loon” issue from 1965 had an article that attempted to answer that question by an unknown author—“Some people can hardly wait for an overnight at camp. They have never been on one and wonder what it is going to be like. But, we experienced campers know. First, you are all excited because you want to ride in the truck. After you are on your way, your foot goes to sleep. You can’t move because you are so crowded. So, you just sit and grit your teeth. Then when you turn a corner, everyone piles into one corner. When you hit a bump someone’s foot goes into your stomach. Finally, you get to your destination and hurry to get out. When you try to stand up straight, you feel stiff from being cramped in one position for so long. Now, it’s time for supper, “ and the article heads into the direction of the actual campout. (We will return to the ending later–to be continued.)

An early twenties camper, Meg Dahlem, recalled her truck trip to the AuSable, where they would sleep on the ground on a hill. Nancy Michelson had a similar campout in the sixties when they trucked somewhere not far from Maqua. “We slept outside on the ground with tarps. I remember waking up to the dew and loving it, despite the wetness and coldness. I loved sleeping under the stars.”

Lucille Greenwald (1947-50) did not share the feelings of excitement for her campouts. “I never understood the overnight camping trips,” she said. “Inevitably, it would rain, and there we were sleeping on sticks and stones with soggy bedding in the woods. Then, back we would go to our huts with sopping wet bedding.”

Another camper shared an entry with the “Loon” in 1947 and it read; “Last night I went on an overnight hike, but I waited till today to tell you about it. Boy, did we have troubles. First of all, it rained the day before, so the wood was wet. Then, after we got the fire going, the pop was warm. And on top of all that, the bed was hard, the mosquitoes bit, and we practically froze to death when we woke up in the morning. I was taken back to camp wrapped in a blanket. P.S. I’m all tired out.”

“I took two overnight trips,” said Missy Plambeck (1968-78). “We walked into a big clearing with our sleeping bags and would sleep on top of plastic outside. One trip, where we had many younger kids, it rained and rained. I was a junior counselor and our tents would not stay up. I slept in the outhouse, which wasn’t as bad as it sounds, since it was fairly new and had space for my feet in the gravel. We were soaking wet. When it wasn’t raining, it was fun to look at the stars.”

Minette Immerman (1938-41) remembered the campout when she slept on the sand at Lake Huron in blankets and counselors cooked breakfast over a barrel with a grate. “One morning when I was waking up, I lifted my blanket up to ants. I did not like that one bit.”

Some girls happened to get lucky, like counselor Sue West (1975), who hiked for three days and was totally dry. The eight girls slept on the ground near some power lines and plotted their trails using compasses.

What kind of overnight camping experience did you have that did not involve a canoe trip?

Waterfront Scares

Published on June 28, 2017June 28, 2017 by Kathy Baker

There are no statistics or mentions anywhere in the archives of any deaths or drownings associated with the camp. The director selected her water safety instructors, boating instructors and directors for the waterfront with a careful eye on experience and maturity. But, incidents happen and that was where drills and safety procedures came into play at camp. Weather was one factor that could change procedures in an instant.

One night Margot Homburger (1946-48) took the canoe out with a friend and the water got choppy, (Although she was never a great swimmer, she had achieved the level needed to canoe.) “I think we were thirteen or fourteen. We could not paddle back, so we left the canoes, took the paddles with us and hiked back. Believe me, there was a welcoming committee for us when we got back,” she laughed. “The next day we went back without the counselor and paddles to get the canoes and ended up paddling all the way back with our hands!”

Janet Gehres, the camp nurse in 1961, had a similar experience. “One of the gals who worked in the camp took me out on a sailboat and we had a nice time until the wind died down. Then we had to paddle back.”

“I think I had to have a blue cap to canoe, so I decided to take a rowboat out. Everyone on the shore was in sheer panic when they realized I could not get back. I kept rowing in circles and someone finally had to come get me,” said fifties camper Jan Bateson.

Ann Carney (1968-72) had an unsettling incident on the lake one summer. “The winds came up on a perfectly beautiful day. It was scary, since all the canoes were on the lake and the girls were scattered all over. I can’t remember how we got them all back, but I think the girls all went to different shores and different families took them in and called from the homes around the lake. I think Dorthe and Mert went to pick them up. Linda Doering was supposed to be on the waterfront and I think she was sailing and it was one of those dicey situations that was very serious and a huge lesson. It made such an impact on me. I got it.”

Gunnell Pumping!

Published on June 26, 2017June 26, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Many of the girls felt like bobbing the canoes or “gunnell pumping” was one of the highlights of their camping experiences with the canoes. “It was a blast,” said Cindy Morrison (1960), “whether we went bow to stern or side to side. I can also remember making a sailboat out of the canoe somewhere on the lake. We would put the paddle up and let the wind catch the top of the paddle, while water ran down our arms.”

“I can stil remember the gunnell pumping that we did for fun on the canoes,” said Laurie Cone (1962-68), who was part of the waterfront staff. “We would teeter-totter and bounce off. I know it had to be dangerous, because if you weren’t careful the canoe could turn back on you. We loved going over to “Turtle Cove” where all the lily pads were. (We always emphasized DO NOT PICK THE LILIES BECAUSE IT IS ILLEGAL, but they were so beautiful.) We would row or paddle across the lake, but there was always that time factor. You could really only do it when there was a double period or you had no time pressure, like on your days off. We liked to be able to go see the boys at camp,” she laughed.

Mimi loved the waterfront and although she regrets never having a chance to sail at camp, she has fond memories of “bobbing” on the canoes. “Why we have any teeth left is beyond me,” laughed Minette Jacques (1955). “The dock was fairly far out and floated. I had already taken the Red Cross swimming lessons at the “Y” before camp, so I was happy I passed the test. But, a pool and a lake are two different things. There was a girl who wasn’t a very good swimmer and we were supposed to have a buddy at the lake, so I chose her and told her not to worry about a thing, that I would save her. I did get my junior lifesaving certificate.”

Sail, Sail Away–

Published on June 21, 2017June 20, 2017 by Kathy Baker

The camp was desperate to find someone to take over the canoeing and sailing in the mid-fifties, so sisters Nancy, Judy and Pat O’Tool took over the job. “The three of us took the sailboat called “Snipe” out on the lake and instead of laying on its side, it would totally capsize. Over and over and over it rolled,” said Pat. “It pitched Judy into the water. We had a heck of a time righting it and getting back to shore!”

“I always thought sailing was so cool,”said Holly Foss (1966-72), “ but not many people advanced to that level. It was such a joy to be on that sailboat. It had two sails and it was very challenging, but we had to tip it over and right it for our Red Cross certification.”

Mary Lou Goggin (1950-61) was not old enough to sail when she arrived, but learned some skills as a C.I.T. There were no instructors for sailing, so during her free time at lunch, she had her friends help her assemble the smaller sailboat, so she could take it out on Loon Lake. Camp and sailing influenced her and to this day she sails on San Francisco Bay and has boated to Mexico on a trip of a lifetime.

Dorthe Balaskas, director, gave permission in 1964 for her sailboat to be used at camp, but according to Cara Prieskorn (1966-71), “–the coolest thing was the Kiltie sisters, who brought up their own sailboat to camp”. Despite the fact there never seemed to be enough wind and the rigging was difficult to hoist, Cara was both envious and looked up to the girls who were a few years older.

Row, Row, Row Your Boat–

Published on June 19, 2017June 1, 2017 by Kathy Baker

Going to camp gave many young girls the chance to attempt boating activities they would have not given a thought to at home. Boating was one of those exciting choices that gave the girls new skills and confidence in themselves, and it also gave way to adventures on the lake and rivers surrounding the area.

There was a level of swimming proficiency that had to be met before the young girls could climb into the rowboats and tests to pass before they could sail or canoe.

A caption under a photo of canoes on Loon Lake, featuring Ann Gunn as the instructor, appeared on August 11, 1957 in the Bay City Times and read: “ Canoeing is a popular sport engaged in by many women, both for short periods on inland lakes, as well as for overnight tirps down the AuSable River.”

Pat Rehmus (1962-65) had been swimming since she was four at the Bay City Country Club with her family. The first summer at camp, she and a friend had to take a swim test in order to get into the canoes. “We were keen to get those canoes out. For some reason, we were not good enough,” said Pat.

But, the girls improved and they knew they had one last opportunity to run and launch that canoe, so they ran to shore and took off in the canoe, amidst yelling from the counselors to get back to shore.

“We were paddling away with that taste of freedom after working so hard to pass the test. The next year we took lessons to paddle properly, but you know at eight, we just ignored authority,” she laughed.

Girls of Camp Maqua

My Book ~ Your Story

1960’s