Wabun's blog has moved!

Wabun's blog has moved to the updated Wabun website - wabun.com!

Please visit the blog on wabun.com/blog for updates from Camp Wabun.

Thanks!

Rooftop Garden!

As much of the Midwest suffers through an extended summer heat wave, we would like to take a minute to reflect on the way one Wabun  parent helped us go green and beat the heat that blazed up north this summer.

The map room is a busy place when sections are in base camp. Staff use the map room’s resource books, marked topographical maps, and archive of trip reports to schedule trips and plan routes. There is always an in-camp staff on hand to lend input, and Robin and the kitchen staff make sure to have the coffee on. It is a welcoming and cozy space. But in June and July, cozy is not always what you want. The heat of the afternoon sun blazes down on the tarpaper roof warming the temperature in the map room above that of the temperature outside. What to do?

 

The kitchen is an equally busy space. Robin and the kitchen staff spend much of the day grilling up bacony-y breakfasts, sautéing delicious dinners like chicken pesto pasta, and baking all sorts of delicious dessert treats. Robin has several garden plots growing on the island and incorporates fresh veggies and herbs into many of the meals she prepares. With at least one oven on, usually one stove going, and a dishwasher to boot, the kitchen can get pretty steamy! What to do?

Enter Paul Mankiewicz. Paul is the father of Wabun staff Phoebe Mankiewicz  Paul visited Wabun at the end of the 2012 season, felt the heat of the map room and kitchen, looked at the structure of the building, took into account Robin’s green thumb, and looked up. The roof. Here’s what he did.

In July of the 2013 season Paul returned with bins of plants, bags of his patented Gaia soil, loads of energy, and a plan. By creating a rooftop carpet plants, Wabun could utilize evapotranspiration to stabilize the temperature of the soil and insulate the roof allowing for a cooler map room and kitchen. Another bonus, Robin’s airlifted gardens get 100% sun exposure out of the reach of hungry critters meaning more fresh produce for us all!

We started the project with about 40 square feet of garden and have plans to expand for the 2014 season. A big thank you to Paul and to all of the campers and staff who took part in the project, it was an awesome learning experience. Marg and Dick who are on the island continue to harvest fresh veggies and shared with us a few photos of last night’s “Garden Island” salad! Looking forward to seeing the project grow next year!

YUM!!

August 6 & 7th: The Closing of Wabun's 81st Season!

August 7th 

The downpours couldn't dampen the spirits of Garden Island on August 7th. The crowd assembled on shore cheered loudly as each section paddled in and reveled in the infectious smiles, elated spirits, and profound sense of accomplish radiating from every camper.  The day of celebration ended magically as a rainbow appeared right over camp as the camper barge departed after supper.

Check out our latest Flickr photos.

Announcing the 2013 Wabun Photo Contest

As we prepare the video yearbook, retro section of the DVD, and other promotional materials we are looking for great photos from this summer. Campers/staff/parents can enter their top 10 photos of the 2013 season summer by emailing Sarah at sarah@wabun.com before the end of September and she'll send you instructions about sharing/emailing photos. The winner will get a 2014 Wabun tshirt as well as their photo featured on one of our 2014 postcard designs next summer.

Thanks for a great season. Stay in touch. Check Facebook and the blog for regular updates.

Campers, Campers, Campers, Yeah Campers!

Chippies & Wawatays Depart for Last Trip!

The Chippies and Wawatays departed for their last trips after a busy two days in base camp. The Wawatays hit the beach first and took advantage of showers and good weather for laundry. The Chippies arrived in style with a spirited cheer and expertly carried their gear to the cabins - hard to believe they've only been here two weeks and already look like seasoned veterans! Although one Chippy protested that he didn't need to do laundry, after all, his shorts were reversible, the sections did laundry,  routine infirmary checks, and outfitting. Then they had time to play paddle tennis with mini-paddles, jump off the cliff on Bear Island, enjoy lots of swimming, snack on care packages and Tuck Shop candy, and burn off extra energy with soccer, Nuke Em, and Stones. The weather continues to be spectacular and we are excited to see all the sections paddle in on August 7th!

New photos are up on Flickr!

Busy Week on Garden Island!

The Chippies and Wawatays departed for their second trip with a lovely tail wind yesterday morning and the Crees and Wenonahs paddled away this morning under beautiful sunny skies. All sections enjoyed swimming, kickball, ping pong, Nuke 'Em (Wabun's version of volleyball), laundry and a campfire between trips.  To everyone's delight, the weather this summer has produced an amazingly bountiful crop of blueberries upon which all the sections have feasted!     Check out the new photos on Flickr!

Chippies & Wawatays Arrive!

2013 Chippies

2013 Wawatays

The 2013 Chippies and Wawatays have arrived on Garden Island and enjoyed a great spaghetti dinner and evening swim as the sun set last evening.

This morning they feasted on fresh Ontario blueberry pancakes and are off learning to set up tents, roll their gear, and tump their duffles.

The Algonquins are playing ping pong, serenading us on the piano, and preparing to outfit for their final trip. Look for more photos soon on Flickr!

Returning From Second Trip

The Crees and Wenonahs returned from their second trips, re-outfited, enjoyed hours in the "pool"and have headed back out on trip. The Wenonahs are paddling north to take in the scenic views from atop Maple Mountain and relax in the pools below Center Falls. The men of Cree are looking forward to a rest day at the beautiful Shangra-La campsite above Divide Lake and the waterfalls along the south arm of the Trout Streams.
Check out the new photos on Wabun's Flickr Album