Northwaters Wilderness Canoe Camp Blog

What is it about the experiences at Northwaters & Langskib (NWL) that inspire young people to write comments like these on program evaluations:

“It’s the only place in the world where I feel myself”

“I feel so at home here—like I know who I am and where I’m going”

What’s happening during a 3 ½ week program that is missing from their lives back home?

At home, young people can reinvent themselves several times in one day. The 13-year-old girl sitting at the breakfast table with her siblings is very different from the same 13-year-old girl seated with friends in the cafeteria. The 15-year-old boy visiting relatives at Thanksgiving is very different from the same 15-year-old boy in the locker room after football practice. Identity shifts occur often throughout a typical teenager’s day. From classrooms to the mall, the school bus to dance class, essay to Iphone, teenagers interact with a variety of people in a variety of settings, through an array of outlets every day. Parents, teachers, peers; home, school, subway; cell phone, laptop, skype—the variables are limitless. But more often than not, no one individual really has time to see or interact with the “whole” child and subsequently that child rarely ends up feeling known for who they truly are or want to be.

Providing the time and experiences during adolescence for your child to be known, understood and honored for their unique gifts is essential to their journey into adulthood.

At NWL, we have developed a series of programs to meet the specific needs of young people at different stages of maturity and development. In the context of a wilderness canoe trip, small groups of eight or ten teenagers along with their trip leaders travel through some of the most rugged and remote areas of northern Ontario and Quebec learning about the land, each other and most importantly about themselves.

Spending 20 days with a group of peers, facing the same challenges and moving towards the same ultimate goal is only a small piece of the journey. Once young people complete the initial work of learning the basic skills required for physically getting form point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ (paddling, portaging, setting up and taking down camp) they have TIME to begin the more important work of getting to know one another and being known.

Time. Now, there’s a concept. Rarely these days do young people have time to develop meaningful relationships with peers, mentors or elders in their busy, over-scheduled lives. The development and nurturing of relationships sometimes rely on brief text messages, one-hour classes or a family meal – a slow and at times unrewarding process. Having the time, support and environment to nurture, build and maintain relationships is a rarity indeed.

Similarly, teenagers seldom get the chance to work through conflict. Imagine a teenager without the ability to hang up on someone after a disagreement or slam a door when a relationship is challenged. On a canoe trip these avoidance techniques are simply not an option. Group members need to confront conflict and challenges head on in order to move forward with the journey. With the encouragement and support of both mentors and peers, individuals are given the tools they need to work through conflict, problem solve and most importantly, understand each other. They learn that part of being a member of a community is accepting the diversity within it. They learn that conflict and challenge can make both a group and an individual stronger and ultimately more successful.

The young people sharing a journey like this see each other in every light possible—exhausted after a long portage, relaxed and fulfilled watching the sunset, frustrated when things are not going their way, or full of adrenaline and giddy while jumping off a cliff into the crystal clear waters of a pristine lake. There is no option to retreat behind slammed doors or to ‘log off’ when the going gets tough.

At the end of a day on an NWL trip, groups will sit together around the fire sharing stories about the day or reflections from home. More information emerges for a ‘wholistic’ view of each member of the group. Puzzles are slowly put together—why one person has a difficult time dealing with conflict, why another uses humor to cover up their stress. These stories and insights allow each group member to be known. They are revealed for who they are and for who they want to be. And they are accepted. It is a freedom that many of them have longed to experience outside the home.

When trips return to basecamp, the results are very clear. Young people of all shapes and sizes hop out of their canoes gracefully and with confidence. Physically, they seem balanced in their bodies. Their faces beam with pride. Their smiles light up the beach. But the most rewarding part of their return is how they hold themselves within the larger community. Hearing their stories and watching them interact with peers, mentors, elders and family gives us an even greater sense of their journey and growth.

As experiential educators, we recognize that the need for each young person we work with to be known is key to the success of any program. With intentional programming that meets the developmental needs of the adolescent, Northwaters is an environment where elders, mentors and peers come together to understand the individual as a whole person. It is a place where young people are honored for their gifts, celebrated and understood.

Simply put, one of the reasons young people write comments like “this place is magic, it’s the only place on earth where I feel totally myself” is because they have been given the opportunity to be just that—totally themselves. They do not need to reinvent themselves because who they are is totally enough.

Returning home with this empowering sense of self has a strong impact on their lives and relationships. Challenges that may have seemed impossible before, become ‘just another portage’. A conflict with a sibling or parent becomes an opportunity to understand each other and make the relationship stronger. When young people face the world with confidence and a clear understanding of who they are, anything seems possible. When the world understands that young person and they feel known within it, the possibilities are limitless.

I am fortunate to have a view of both sides of the coin. I am both a mother and a camp professional. We play outside as a family and help parents provide empowering wilderness experiences for their teenage children. For the past 15 years I have been working with young people in the outdoors– camps, nature centers, school field trips, and backcountry expeditions. When we began having kids of our own, I moved out of the woods and behind the scenes. At home my husband and I are doing our best to raise resilient kids. At work, we are helping parents of adolescents choose experiences for their children- whether it’s that first little flight out of the nest or a more impactful personal growth experience. Can you guess which work is “easier”?

Parenting is the most difficult, most rewarding job we’ll ever have. The hours are grueling, the pay is lousy, the job description is infinite but the benefits are exquisite. Of course the conundrum of good parenting is that if we succeed at our jobs, we will ultimately have to let our prodigy go. Raising our happy, healthy family off the beaten path a full day’s drive from where I grew up, often leaves my dad wondering if he’s done his job too well.

Our job as parents is to provide for our children.

When your kids are wee, those needs are as instinctive as they are intuitive. Babes are so helpless, so dependent on us to meet their every need. In retrospect, the sleepless nights and hazy bubble of infancy seem pretty easy (milk, snuggles and a dry bottom solved almost anything back then). Even through early childhood it is clear to see what they need- more milk, more snuggles and a little bit of room to stretch their I CAN DO IT ALL BY MYSELF wings! Middle childhood is shaping up to be a repeat of those toddler years, I hope we can remember what we did right the first time around.

As our children enter adolescence, however, their needs become quite a bit more complicated and nuanced.

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Northwaters and Langskib are coming to a town near you! The “North American Living Room Tour” begins this fall! Our owner and director, C.G. Stephens is taking our show on the road, visiting friends and alumni to share what we do first hand with prospective NWL families.

Sometimes the website and brochure just aren’t enough- now is your chance to meet the director, speak to current families and get a true sense of who we are and what our community and programs are all about.

We will share food, drinks, stories and photos from 6-8pm in the following locations.

Southport, Connecticut- Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Boulder, Colorado- Thursday, February 2nd, 2012

Richmond Hill, Ontario- Saturday, February 25th, 2012

New York City, NY-Friday, March 9th, 2012

Northern Michigan and Ann Arbor dates pending

Contact us if you or a friend would like to  learn more, join us or host a recruiting event in your neck of the woods.

cena@northwaters.com, 866-458-9974

What our first timers are saying about Northwaters and Langskib …

“I just wanted to drop a quick note to say thanks to everyone for making Brendan’s Excalibur trip so wonderful.  He talked nonstop from the time I met him at the Airport till we pulled in the driveway at home 7 hours later (and then he started all over for his dad and brother)!  But what I have to say made everything really come to life for us were the wonderful pictures – both from the basecamp which were emailed to us at the beginning of the trip and the pictures on his camera.  Brendan is a pretty terrific kid but he came home from Langskib even better!  Thanks again to all at Langskib – Brendan can’t wait for next summer.”

Love, The C Clan (1^st year participant in our 2 week all boys’ program, age 12)

“Thank you soooo much for everything you have done for my little man and for me. Nate has had nothing but amazing things to say about his awesome adventure in the Temagami Wilderness, and it sure has been quite the experience for me too. He is so proud of himself for overcoming his fears and just letting Mother Nature take care of him, although I have to give you credit for doing such a great job as well.”

xo, Bree Ann. (1^st year participant in our 3.5 week all boys’ program, age 11)

“First a big THANK YOU to you all.  Meg had an amazing time and got everything we hoped for and more out of her time in Temagami.  Michael and I are very appreciative of the hard work, the integrity and the excellence of your program.  We are loving Meg’s stories, she has clearly found a new sense of herself and her potential.  She is very proud of herself!  She told me she spent a lot of time thinking on those portages. I know we have only heard the tip of the ice berg about where her thoughts led her, but what is showing up so far is that she knows she can do more than she thought she could, she can face difficult situations and find the lessons and she can have fun even when the going gets tough!  We now have a new phrase in our house for challenges “it’s just another portage”.”

Katy K (1^st year female participant in our 3.5 week co-ed program, age 16)

“Henry had the kind of experience with you that we hoped he would have … and much much more. Marshal and Laura seem to have been extraordinary leaders.  Henry was appreciative of many of the lessons they taught and/or modeled throughout the journey.  He loved the challenge, and understood the support that everyone needs from time to time. He was impressed by the level of teamwork necessary, and talked about the importance of being able to carry your load.

He came back confident, realizing the difference between spending one’s day doing things that “other people” think are important (i.e. school), and spending a meaningful day engaged in work that has a direct bearing on your survival in the short and long term.  He found a zen kind of focus there that he has a hard time finding in his city life.  We’ll be thinking this year about how to change his life in NYC to incorporate these spirit-sustaining discoveries.

Henry loved the intellectual life on the trail as well.  The conversations were often hilarious, but created perspective on basic things people don’t often talk about, like basic bodily functions, modesty, etc. Other conversations posed question about life, that we don’t often make time for. When we gave Henry back his cell phone, he found that it needed charging.  We noticed that he didn’t bother to charge it for a week.  Maybe he still hasn’t.   Instead, we continued the Northwaters conversations in the car.

Henry came back a new man.”

Ellie C- (Henry’s mom, first-year participant in co-ed Northwaters trip, age 14)

And now a few words from our returning participants…

“Wanted to share with you that he had the most wonderful, fabulous time. It’s life changing for him.  Thank you for all of your efforts. Max talks all about the guys leading it (Eric Miller and  Ryan Sablosky)and the entire experience. Blessings and deep gratitude.”

Susan M- (Max’s mom, a Langskib participant 2009-2011)

“Thank you again for all that you do – you guys have an amazing program and the boys and I are so grateful for it. It’s incredible to see what my boys have learned in the summers-I would say it is more like this thing that permeates their very being-I can see the strong and upright men that they are becoming. There are times when one or the other is struggling with something in life and I swear I can watch them gather themselves up again in a way that I never taught them to do- I can see them tap into this thing that soaked into their skin at camp.  I have even overheard them reminding each other of the challenges they overcame at Langskib. And so again, I thank you for all the work you are doing-this is so what our children and the children of the future need.”

Judith M (mom of Makima and Taeven, participants 2007-2011)

“Arik’s experiences with Langskib and Temagami have anchored his sense of self and given wings to his dreams and aspirations! I have such deep gratitude and respect for what this program nurtures and unfolds for these young people! It was a dream of mine, as well,that Arik be able to experience the sanctuary of the wild Temagami … it has served us both so well! Venturing North to see him come in from a trip … it has been the high-point of my summers!”

Lezlie D (Arik’s mom, participant 2006-2011)

A thousand or so days after the ball began to roll, CG and Jodi have now officially become the caretakers and owners of Northwaters and Langskib Wilderness Canoe Camps. Coincidentally this landmark event fell within weeks of our esteemed leader’s birthday, and thus his 35th anniversary on the islands. Below is a speech that was given in his honor at our end of season staff celebration. Congratulations, and thank you!

35 years ago a sophisticated suburban mother of four identified in her 2^nd born a need to escape the traditional.   It was clear that her stoic and resourceful boy was ready for a unique and identifying experience.  And so, at the age of 13, she sent him to Langskib.  To this day, she remembers with vivid clarity C.G. returning home from his summer in Temagami.  He was different she said.  Something had changed in him, this was very clear. Indeed, it was clear.  In addition to crossing a bridge he had chosen his life’s path.

C.G. has returned to Langskib every summer since then.  Beginning as a participant and soon becoming staff.  It wasn’t long before Dave Knudsen recognized his dependable nature, strong work ethic and impeccable craftsmanship.   He was hired on full time and began the long process of helping shape the organization and moving it forward.

When I first met C.G. he was devoted to his own personal growth and learning the skills required to manage people effectively.  Not much has changed.  He is dedicated to learning and his capacity for knowledge is overwhelming at times.  I’ve yet to meet another soul who can be simultaneously reading a book about small business organizational development, another on sustainable living, a Patrick O’Brien novel, Cycle World magazine and National Geographic. His quest for knowledge and curiosity combine with his diverse interests to make him an authentic ‘student of life, for life’.

Over the years his leadership has impacted more than an organization.  He has served as a mentor, surrogate father, friend and trusted colleague to generations of participants and staff.  During the off-season, it’s pretty rare for a week to go by without someone calling to ask C.G.’s advice.  Whether it’s someone looking for ideas on how to spend a year off, how to change a break caliper, frame a roof or how to face a particular conflict in their lives—he will make the time to help.

To me, C.G. embodies what Langskib and Northwaters represent: integrity, courage, community and the quest for excellence.

We put a great deal of value on symbols in this organization to recognize a passage from one place to another.  When I asked Bence (an infamous Excalibur Participant) what I should do to commemorate your 35 years here he suggested I commission a true to life statue of you for the cliff at Langskib.

While I agree, a statue would be great, I think it’s more important for you to hear these words and know they are true:  The community of staff sitting in this room are here because of important work that you have done.  The important work they do with young people on trail can happen because of your dedication to the philosophy of NWL and steadfast belief in the process.

As Caretaker of NWL , I know you will do what is right for this land and all those who walk upon it.  But I also know that as long as you breathe, you will uphold the core values of this place; the belief that simple living, hard work and risk changes lives.  Indeed, It changed yours 35 years ago and we are ALL truly thankful for that.

Or… “Why Langskib is like Mongolia”, by alumni Dave Roberts.

It has been over thirty years since I lead my last trip from the dock at Langskib canoe camp for boys.  I was a camper on the first Temagami Trip the year Dave Knudsen bought Camp Windshift which became Langskib. I was one of the first leaders, I co-lead the first Dumoines River Trip. I lead CG on his very first canoe trip; he later became the best assistant I had the pleasure of working with.

A lot has happened since I left Langskib;  some good, some not as good. I moved to the West, I worked as a cowboy on several cattle ranches in Colorado, I lead elk and deer hunters on horse pack trips into the Rocky Mountains for 11 years, did many other jobs, lived in several places. I married, raised kids, divorced and ended up with a desk job shuffling paper. I soon plan on changing that desk job to something more exciting.

Last year, life was getting a little too slow and too domesticated, I was missing the adventures I had leading canoe trips, the traveling into the unknown, not knowing where camp will be until evening comes. I missed the nomadic life I lived as a cowboy. So I packed some belongings and traveled to Mongolia for three weeks. The people there still live the same as they did 800 years ago when Genghis Khaan ruled. They live in tents called Gers, they move their livestock with the season, packing all their worldly belongings onto ox drawn carts and live off the land. Mongolia is great, just what I was looking for, people with a nomadic spirit. The entire time I was in Mongolia I never felt alone, everywhere I went people treated me as a friend. I spent days galloping a horseback across the Mongolian Steepe with nomadic horseman, I stayed in their Gers, I learned their culture and shared experiences with them. I am learning their language and plan to return to Mongolia next year to visit with Mongol friends and other friends I have yet to meet.

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I was inspired recently by a lecture that I attended by Kim John Payne titled Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids. Kim John authored a book of the same title in 2009, the ideas of which are catching on nationally at a rapid pace.  His message is clear:  by reducing the stress in the life of a child we give them the opportunity to flourish; the opportunity to  think more clearly, make better decisions, and have the capability to go deeper in to the activities, play, and work that they do now, and will do later.  Kim John explained that when children have a series of small cumulative stresses in their lives such as: too-busy schedules, constant media exposure, too many choices, and general chaos in their lives their brains function at limited capability while exhibiting the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.   In a time when it seems that stress is the new norm in our society, Kim John challenges us to keep it simple in the lives of our families, for the sake of our families.

Of course, it was hard to listen to this lecture and not make parallels to the ideals of Northwaters and Langskib Wilderness Programs and the reverence for childhood and adolescence that is honoured there.  By giving young people the opportunity to unplug, remove themselves from the expectations and norms of their home lives, and be with the land in a safe yet challenging environment, we create beautiful opportunities for personal growth.  We don’t need much to have powerful and formative experiences.  In the case of NWL, it is the bare necessities:  a tent, paddle, canoe, essentials that fit in to the canoe, a small group of supportive peers, and the quiet, solitude, and rawness of the Temagami Wilderness.

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It was impossible to watch the Canada vs United States Hockey game  without reflecting on one’s citizenship.  I have the good fortune to be a citizen of both Canada and the U.S. My citizenships  result from a series of lucky events, most of which occurred before I could even walk, much less contemplate the relative merits and responsibilities of citizenship in the two countries.  Now, having divided each of the past 35 years between each country, I have an honest claim to citizenship in both.

As the director of Northwaters and Langskib, I often receive queries from parents trying to figure out whether NWL is an American or a Canadian organization. Every other canoe camp I know is predominately one or the other.  One even claims to be “Canada’s Canoe Camp”. Given the recent Olympic events, this seems like a good time to set the record straight; NWL is both.

This is not the simple answer everyone is looking for. Alluding to my dual citizenship when crossing the border seems to virtually guarantee further questions from customs officials. People  prefer if you fit into a category, neatly please, without a whole lot of explanation. Check one box only, as it were. That’s not always possible. Read the rest of this entry »

We are having a great winter here at Northwaters and Langskib off season  headquarters. Everyone is healthy, summer camp enrollment is at record levels and a steady stream of visitors has made cheerful the dark days of November and December.

Summer Camp in the Winter!

New to the mill (and NWL) this winter is Jen Zahorchak.  Jen comes to us with many years of experience working with children and their families in camp settings throughout the US.  She and her husband Gregg moved back East from Oregon to work for Adirondack Camp in Lake George.  Recently, they purchased a home just a mile down the road from the mill.  Jen and Gregg come to us with much experience in outdoor adventure.  Each of their girls, Wren and Luna, have been on canoe trips in-utero and out, but Otis (4 months) is waiting for the spring thaw for his first out of belly adventure.  In addition to helping out with general administrative work, Jen is focusing her expertise on managing our website and online presence.  She’s the person to contact if you would like to contribute news, photos or stories to the blog or website – jen@northwaters.com

Once summer camp programs are finished and base camp is closed, (October 2 last year) our focus turns to planning for the coming season. In November, directors and senior staff spent 3 days with Rod Napier and Chris Cavalieri of The Napier Group. Read the rest of this entry »

January 1st 2010. My friend Bill Perkins wants to be the first one to paddle the Crystal River this year and this decade. So here we are at Fishers Landing with winter boots and many layers of wool and polypropylene clothing. His little ford station wagon is not quite stuck in the snowbank. We unload his old aluminum canoe and immediately appreciate the first difference of winter canoeing. Instead of carrying the canoe and gear to the river we just pull it across the snow like a big sled.
The Crystal River is the only river in our county. It is a twisty, four miles from Big Glen Lake to Lake Michigan and most of that is through Read the rest of this entry »