By: Kayaking Facilitators, Arianna & Reagan (July 2024)
Day 1: Travelling to Kayaking Base Camp
We took off from Youth Odyssey for our kayaking adventure at Inks Lake State Park. Our lunch stop was at Whataburger where everyone got to fill up. The rest of the trip there, people slept until we arrived at camp. Everyone immediately started setting up camp, our home for the week. Afterwards we introduced the campers to check in circles. Here we discussed camp rules and water safety with everyone before our week of kayaking. Our campers were bonding and off to a great start!
Day 2: Learning New Skills
Before the sun peaked in the early morning, our camp was awoken by the light rain. Gracefully, we ran around to everyone’s tents to set up the rain flys just in time for a short rainstorm to begin. Once our morning truly began, about an hour after we fell asleep, we started our kayaking journey. We began the morning practicing our paddling basics and deep water recovery. During our journey, we persevered through the choppy water, which was a bit of a rough start for some campers who got stuck in the bank multiple times. When we stopped for lunch, we had some movie entertainment from the campers. With nothing but a rock and the lake, campers reenacted The Little Mermaid “Part of Your World”. When we got back to camp that afternoon, we played a game of mafia between check in circle and dinner. We ended the night with a sweet treat of s’mores.
Day 3: Early Morning Risers
This morning, the facilitators planned for the youth to have a light morning where they could sleep in. Instead of waking up at 8am, the campers were up and about at 6am, much to the facilitators dismay.
This was the longest day of kayaking, at about 3 miles. A large section of the route had trees poking out from under the water, which provided obstacles and a nice bit of scenery. We saw many turtles on the way and stopped by the dam for a snack. We then kayaked to a lunch spot where campers tried to catch fish with their bare hands. Many spiders were found on the kayaks on the way back to camp after we ported under a low hanging tree. That afternoon, we traveled to Marble Falls, visiting a farmers market where the kids had local peaches and some bought homemade bread, preserves, fresh Fredericksburg peaches, and freeze dried skittles. After dinner the group made watercolor paintings, some even making portraits of one another and headed to bed under the stars.
Day 4: Alvin, Simon, Theodore and the Raccoon
Wednesday morning we drove out to put in for our last kayak of the trip. We took a snack break near Devil’s Waterhole, where we the youth watched another group jump into the water. A nearby blue heron allowed campers to quietly approach and the campers conspired about the “Swim at your own risk” signs meant that there were sharks in that section of the lake. By now, the youth were experts at kayaking and communicating with their partners. Lunch was spent on the bank again, where the campers saw squirrels that they named Alvin, Simon, and Theodore. After drying off, we visited Burnet, where we spent time at the park. There was a high stakes game of mini scrabble using a teensy set that belonged to James, a facilitator. Along the park, there was a river with many turtles sunning themselves as well as a menagerie of different ducks. Dinner was made as the youth gave each other nicknames. That night, girls were sure that there was a raccoon terrorizing their campsite but they were brave and slept through the night without their tents becoming ransacked.
Day 5: Longhorn Cavern
Thursday was our relaxation day. We made breakfast tacos and headed to the pier to relax on the rocks and chill in the water. The youth set off hunting the fish once again, with a little more success (one camper touched a fish’s tail). Lunch was chili dogs and chips while the campers dried off. That afternoon we traveled to Longhorn Cavern State Park where many campers got themselves some memorabilia while we waited for our tour. In the cavern, we saw two tricolor bats. The campers agreed with the guide when he said that they looked like little chicken nuggets. In the cavern we saw many interesting rocks and crystals that made the youth’s jaws drop (I saw it if anyone denies it). Dinner was rice bowls, after which facilitators Reagan and Arianna secretly started a fire for s’mores. Arianna discreetly picked up individual campers to join them for the treat while the others were engrossed in a game of slapjack. Everyone eventually caught on to the treachery and got their dessert. That night we discussed the trip as a whole and reflected on how we grew and what we learned.
Day 6 Travel: Homeward Bound
After the long week of kayaking and camping, we settled into the vans once more to head back home. We left early enough in the morning that we were back at Youth Odyssey before lunch! Join us on our next adventure!
