The Wisdom of Waypoint Adventurers
The 10th grade Waypoint cohort spent 3 nights and 4 days exploring Maine’s wild waters along the West Branch of the Penobscot. At the end of their trip, they were asked to write a reflection on their adventure. They were also tasked with “pitching it” to next year’s 10th graders. Through their reflections, they shared the wisdom of all those who are brave enough to step outside their comfort zones and immerse themselves in Maine’s wilderness.
“I can’t believe how much ground we covered. We went from all the way to a shallow part to a lake and back up river to rapids and deeper depths, until we finally ended up on the 3rd largest lake in Maine. The choppiness was overcome, and we finally reached our last campsite. Thinking back there were so many good memories including swimming, cooking food, exploring and in general just being in the wilderness of Maine.”
“I am very tired, but here is a list of everything I loved:
- Canoeing out to Lobster Lake and jumping off the rock
- Swimming at every spot
- Finding “poop” spots with L & H
- Sleeping in a hammock while everyone else was like sardines in a can
- Pooping in the woods!”
“I found that I’m better in the back of the canoe steering than in the front for sure. It was really tiring but really fun. … The highlight of the trip was definitely the swimming. Sometimes the rapids were hard in the canoe, but if you mostly kept calm then it was fun.”
“You made a lot of memories, but there was hardship because the canoeing was difficult. But it was good for you to get exercise and an arm workout. You got to jump off of some rocks, and you wish you could have done more. PS – Thanks to [F] for steering the canoe. I know it was hard, but we got through it.”
“So much paddling, so many bugs… We had fun along the way, but it wasn’t easy. We still managed. Everyone planned well for each other, and we worked together. Piloting a canoe in either seat isn’t easy, but we persevered. We took the worst and embraced the best as a team.”
“You will look favorably on it. Some fun memories were: canoeing down rapids and not getting stuck; first set up and breakdown of a tent. There were worse moments: meal clean-up; the hill; constantly getting stuck. But you won’t remember those moments when you’re looking back.”