Canoeing
Our founder’s vision saw Hurontario campers “off the island at least once a day”. Camp Hurontario has one of the largest fleets of cedar-strip canoes in Canada, and they are constantly in use. Whether paddling out to O’Donnell’s Point to jump the cliffs or to a section’s hamburger cookout at Paradise Island, campers are always out paddling. At the close of each session, campers have the opportunity to show what they have learned in a variety of canoeing competitions.
The Hartwood is a doubling competition for Cabins 1 to 10. To qualify for the Hartwood, each boat is involved in a timed race to Muntz-Weller Rock and back. Each camper is able to show their skills as either a sternsman or a bowsman. Six to eight boats are chosen from the qualifying event and proceed to the finals. The finals consist of a variety of technical “moves” like the figure eight, feather, bowcut, and the brake.
The Hodgetts is a doubling competition for Cabins 11 to 20. In this competition, the paddlers are required to switch places on the water in order to display their paddling skills as both a sternsman and a bowsman. Each boat must go through a qualifying time trial to make the finals of the competition. The strokes are similar to those of the Hartwood, but the paddlers must demonstrate more power and fluidity.
The Muntz-Weller is the most prestigious paddling tradition at the camp. It is a singling competition for the senior campers. The fastest 6 to 8 canoeists to complete a course to Muntz-Weller rock and back, changing sides halfway, proceed to the finals. To make the finals, the paddlers must demonstrate both strength and skill as a solo paddler. In the finals, the canoeists display their paddling skills while performing technically difficult strokes. They must demonstrate their proficiency in paddling moves like the inside circle, the brake, and the show-stopping bow-rudder.
Sailing
I sit at the tiller, and laugh in the spray… Hurontario has a fleet of boats perfectly suited for cruising the Bay on a lazy summer’s day or catching a big wind out in Twelve Mile Bay as you sail to make the Squadron. The fleet consists of Bytes (one- or two-person crew), JYs (our awesome new self-bailing racing boats), and Lightnings, the camp’s flagships (22 foot sailboats that are perfect for the winds of Georgian Bay). During each session, campers work to develop their boat-handling skills in the different classes of boats offered. At the end of session, everyone has an opportunity to participate in the Junior and Senior Byte Regattas, the Dawson, or the Pinchin.
The Junior and Senior Byte regattas begin with a series of five qualifying races through a triangular course. The best three finishes are counted for each boat and qualifying crews move on to the finals. The bytes are fast, single-sail craft that can be capsized and righted by one person, so sailors must stay on their toes in each race!
The Dawson is a sailing race open to all campers in cabins one through thirteen. Two- or three-person crews head out into the Bay and try their hand at a series of qualifying races before competing in the finals. Both skipper and crew need to know their stuff, from rigging, to docking, to sailing terminology and tacking through a triangular course. The Dawson is a great way for the campers to show off their sailing skills!
The Pinchin is open to any two-person crew in Cabins 14 to 26. Again, crews must show their knowledge and skill in a variety of ways, from rigging and de-rigging, to tacking through a triangular course under a variety of wind conditions. Named after one of the first counselors at the camp, the Pinchin is always a hotly contested race as the senior campers show what they have learned over the years at Hurontario.
Saturday Night Campfires
Every Saturday evening at camp is special as the whole camp gathers at the outdoor stage, overlooking the water, to join in a series of songs and skits, led by our directors. Staff lead the camp in learning songs, new and old, accompanying the campers on guitar. These events are a wonderful celebration of camp community – the perfect way to end the week.
Sunday Reflections
Each Sunday, our Leaders-in-Training lead the camp in reflecting on the past week. The theme of the week dictates the songs and poetry the LITs choose to perform, and the campers are encouraged to reflect on the meaning of these pieces and apply the lessons on friendship, kindness and compassion within them to the upcoming week.
This important tradition helps connect the campers with Hurontario’s key values and philosophies and gives them the opportunity to find a moment of quiet calm among the usual excitement of camp life.
