What do we do at base camp?

There's much more than camping at Flying Moose. Here is a partial list. There are too many things to mention on one or two pages.

Swimming: We are on a crystal clear spring fed pond. Unless it's really cold, we have three swimming times each day; before breakfast,before lunch and before dinner. On very hot days we'll even swim after supper — before campfire. You don't have to go swimming every time or even every day.

Building Canoes: We use canoes on trips and in camp. Each summer in camp we try and build a new wood/canvas canoe, or rebuild older ones in need of repair. You can help!

Fishing: You can fish off the dock or from a row boat or canoe. Our lake boasts landlocked salmon, trout, and sunfish. We also send trips to nearby lakes that offer more fish: bass, pickerel, pike, and others!

Woodworking: In the Caboose (our woodshop), besides building camp canoes, we have many tools you can use to build your own projects.

Rowing: We have two small row boats you can use to take in the views, fish or practice your skills, or "just get out." If you pass a few tests with a counselor, you can take a boat out by yourself.

Sailing: We have two Sunfish sailboats available for windy days. Again, after a few tests, you can use the boats by yourself.

Camping Skills: On weekends we take some time to learn and practice camping techniques like axing, fire building, compass and map reading, nature hikes or canoe skills. Sometimes we go to a nearby tidal rip and practice whitewater canoeing techniques.

There is time to read and write journals and that all so important letter home or to Grandma and Granddad.

The Camp Store offers camping supplies like soap, bug dope, tooth paste, batteries and an original FML T-Shirt. The store is open for candy about twice a week — one bar limit!

THE MARK of the MOOSE and MAPLE is our self motivated skills testing program. As you gain skills and knowledge in camping, nature, knots, cooking, canoeing, axing, swimming and first-aid, you receive awards for your achievements.

Free time is a great time to grab a counselor and identify five evergreens, tie a square knot or name the parts of a canoe or row boat. The more you do, the more difficult and challenging the tests are. As you progress, you'll prove you can do things like cook an entire meal for six on a trip, build a rustic (but sturdy) piece of furniture, plan and complete a new trail for camp use or develop a new campsite for future camping trips.

Games: What would camp be without games? We have two teams, the Browns and the Whites. Over the past 80-some years, our game lab has researched, developed, and perfected many games. We play Wood Pile in the woods (a different take on Capture the Flag), swimming races and many different canoe games and races.

There are other (non Brown & White) games like soccer, Frisbee baseball and golf, whiffle ball, scavenger hunts, box hockey, horse-shoes, hacky-sack, table tennis and extreme tetherball (you've never played it like we do).

We also have plenty of board and card games for quieter moments indoors and out. Intense and casual games of Chess, Risk, Cribbage, and others are broken out daily. 

After supper there's an hour to relax before campfire. It's a perfect time to take a canoe out on the lake by yourself or with a friend or counselor. As you learn, you can paddle in larger areas the lake. It's also a great time to write that letter home, or warm up your musical instrument to accompany the singing at campfire. If enough are interested, there might be a game of volleyball or basketball.

There is so much to do, and it's hard to do all of it!