Queen City Yacht Club Boating Summer Camp

Week One of 2011!

2011-06-27T15:12:00.000-07:00

Hey there, campers!

This week was nice and small, but still very fun. Unfortunately our new counselor, Sophie, got sick at the beginning of the week, but the five of us still managed to have a good time!

Although there was a bit of rain, we powered through it with big smiles and some exciting games. We did some sailing, kayaking, walking, learning, drawing, and swimming, and adventured to the Arboretum, Ivar's, Gasworks, Agua Verde, and Foster Island! Here are the clues for this week's terrifying treasure hunt :) and the rest of the pictures are coming as soon as I return to Seattle on Friday!

Beware all you campers! We the pirates have come!
We've hidden your counselor, find her or run!
Wait 'til everyone gets here, 1, 2, 3, 4...
Then zoom to the bathroom and knock on the door!

You have found her! Now on to the next
Mission and journey, you’ll be put to the test
Where did Kammy find the fortune-teller, hidden away
From inside a dark cabinet, it was brought out to play!

Jackson certainly knows how to make us all laugh
His signature chuckle spreads a mile and a half
There is a large box where we just shouldn’t go
It beeps and moves, and is very slow
To find your next clue you should go to this place
C’mon, all you kiddies! Keep up the pace!

Kammy is a Life game expert of ease
She piles a van full of kids and sails in the breeze
Where are the underwater cameras stored away?
Jessica knows – go find them today!

Jessica can light up the room with her devilish grin
She kayaks and swims so well, she might just have a fin!
To continue this journey, grab lifejackets, quick!
Head down to the yellow, black, and red sticks!

Erica is so helpful, and she rigs boats like a queen
She’s kind and can right FJ’s faster than a machine
Let’s jump in our kayaks and find the treasure in a place
Where we played at the park and Jackson fell on his face!

Week One!

2010-07-01T22:54:00.000-07:00

Week One was a great week full of some rain, some sun, and lots of fun! Unfortunately the memory card for the nice underwater camera had not arrived yet so the pictures are a bit fuzzy and the video isn't up to par for a movie. Here are the clues for this week's treasure hunt, and the pictures that all of the junior sailors took!

WATCH OUT, SAILORS!

We are the pirates, we’re mighty and strong
We sneak into rooms and don’t stay long
If you’re tired and cold, some people like to relax
In this rounded structure without any cracks
For your next clue, stay in this room but run away
To the vessel where life jackets go at the end of the day!

Erica is incredible, so helpful and kind
A better intern we could never hope to find
She wears new bikinis with style and grace
Encouraging smiles often cover her face
There’s a certain compartment where we can’t go
It’s tempting and travels from high floors to low
Its buttons are bright, they keep elders at peace
Come quickly but try not to call the police!

Jessica is bouncy, a great swimmer and great friend
All of our bad moods she knows how to mend
Her skin is the creamy color of olives and sand
She prefers swimming in water to walking on land
Grab life jackets, kiddies, and head down the stairs
This journey now grows dangerous – BEWARE!
Instead of driving, Amanda rolls to camp
On a two-wheeled vehicle that can go down ramps
Check the handlebars carefully, and you might find
A slip of parchment, wedged in right behind!

Thomas is a sailor, he knows how to tack
He swims out to docks and can even make it back
He’s loud and rambunctious, and likes rolly chairs
About his friends and his sailing, he very much cares
There’s a certain kayak that everyone dreads
It likes to twist and turn instead of moving ahead
Head to the dock and check its seat
For your next juicy pirate treat!

Morgan is joyful and wears a bright red hat
He skillfully handles Optis, turning this way and that
Morgan’s Balloony was happy and wild
Sadly he popped when he was only a child ☹
On the first day the balloons traveled to a track
Where we ran around playing and then paddled back
How did we get there? Did we just use our kicks?
Run to the locker and grab these black and yellow sticks!

McKenzie loves eating, cookies, ice cream, and more
She likes to giggle and can handle an oar
Don’t worry, more snacks will surely arrive today
Take the kayaks and travel across the lily pad bay!

Gabby is sadly no longer here
She had to go quite far away I fear
But we all know she’s lovely, so sweet and so nice
She’s always understanding and always concise
There are certain seats that move forward and back
Last time the boys put them under attack
Some are not colored, but one is yellow
The treasure is buried under this fine fellow!

Ode to a Sailboat

2010-06-04T00:14:00.000-07:00

Ode to a Sailboat
by Amanda

You give life to the dreams
Harboring in beached whales
A sultry figure of packed fiberglass,
Enticing its commanders with
promises of freedom
The crevasse of your hull, a
Five-star accommodation
Tempting the water as champagne
Foam erupts from the edges of the
Ripples in your wake
You face the glossy surface of
Today, buckling with intrigue as you remember
The library of future adventures
Hidden just beneath your tiller.

2010-05-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

Ahoy there, boaters!

Summer is only a month away and excitement is rising among the counselors. This year, we have a new counselor named Megan Williams, who has taught at various sailing camps and can't wait to be a part of our crew. Although Captain Kiel has stepped down from his well-earned post, we'll try our best to get him to come visit us!

I can't wait to see everyone and begin a new season of sailing, kayaking, swimming, and treasure hunting! I'm already planning out sailing trips to Gasworks and kayak trips to the arboretum.

Remember to sign up if you haven't already!

Your new Captain,
Amanda

week seven?

2009-08-25T16:00:00.000-07:00

Regrettably week seven's pictures and video are on Amanda's computer which doesn't work. Check back and hopefully we'll get them up soon.

Week Nine

2009-08-25T10:44:00.000-07:00

This was a bittersweet week considering it was my last at boating camp. The weather couldn't have been better, although the wind was a bit shifty. There were only four campers at camp this week which reminded me of when I started working at the camp when we had a week with only one kid. But we had lots of visitors throughout the week: Olivia, Sasha, Lilian, Sarah, Eva, Liz, and Kirstin. Hope everyone had a good time and that I'll see you all out on the water someday soon!

Week Eight

2009-08-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

This was one of those weeks where it was cloudy and windless throughout the day but then right when everyone is going home it got sunny and windy. However we still got in some good sailing and lots of good capture the flag. Special thanks to Marina and Forrest for the extra help this week. Not that many photos but we got plenty of good videos, enjoy!

Week Six (the week where is reached 103!)

2009-08-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

Here are Amanda's clues for the treasure hunt:

Our sweet Seattle summer has never been hotter
This week was filled with frequent trips to the water
Little did you know while you sailed around
We buried a treasure near Queen City grounds
We’re the pirates of sunshine, ice cream and good fun
Where do you throw your lunch when you’re done?

Samantha likes swimming in and out of the tides
Like a surfer girl, those big waves she rides
After we return she uses a different room
To change out of wet swimsuits as 3:00 does loom
Where is this place that smells of sweet scents and dew?
Boys don’t try to enter; girls run to the next clue!

Don’t give Janelle glasses, or from them you will part
Her gentle nature and grass hats can melt anyone’s heart
Jessica and Stella ARE VERY DIFFERENT, Kiel
You should be able to realize, it’s been quite a while
Although they enjoy turning Amanda’s hair green
Of this here yacht club, they are the real queens
Jessica wears glasses (oops, not anymore ☺)
While Stella picks blackberries, and seldom does roar
Jessica asks questions, and hopes to learn lots
Her eyes always fill with wondrous thoughts
Footsteps on carpets are dirty messes to fear
Take off your shoes! The next clue lies near

The dangerous world of mafia is David’s secret pleasure
For him this game is the real treasure
He loves to jump off the dock into the lake
With Carlos and Grant, great sailors they make
Smoothly commandeering the seven seas
Without glasses even! Yet he does it with ease
When we go to the arboretum, Carlos jumps off the rail
He’s as good at rowing as he is with a sail
Filled to the brim with fantastic new jokes
Carlos is one of the funniest folks
They’re not banana boats, but as close as it gets
Yellow in color, gliding fast as jets
We all love these vehicles, this is true
Check the seat for your next clue!

Grant always remembers the parts of the boat
His bright smile and good humor are qualities to note
We’ve yet to see Grant in a bad mood
He’s good at sailing, kayaking and eating food
With our yellow boats, we don’t use sails
A different kind of instrument never fails
They’re thin and long, black and yellow
Look in the cabinet for these nice fellows!

Lily throws and moves like a pro
From water to land, anywhere she can go
Although life guards sometimes catch her mid-act
She never loses grace, beauty or tact
Talking on the phone, a sociable lady
Her tan is so bright it makes the sun look shady
Hose fights with Montlake are always a blast
We get completely soaked and have to think fast
Although our water balloons never gained great fame
Take these oars and rush to the scene of the game!

We play mafia under tents to hide from the heat
We try to use toys but burn our bottoms on seats
If only we could get a push, up and down
The treasure is buried under the ground!

Week Five

2009-07-31T20:28:00.000-07:00

Amanda's clues:

In the midst of this room, there resides quite a chap
He’s filled with kindness and friendship (and can’t spell RAP)
We heard about a birthday, and immediately dropped
All the treasure we’ve stolen, to Queen City we hopped
Why not return it? The question flew through the air
Or give it to someone to show that we care?
He’s got brains, sailing skills, and dashing good looks
For you Colin -- we’ve devised a hunt for the books
Sun salutations and yoga are always the rage
Clues are often hidden smack dab center stage!

The hair of Jacob shines like pure red gold
His bright smile and laughter never gets old
Pie making with Colin is Jacob’s favorite hobby
For good fun and steering he’ll always lobby
Daniel can’t keep his hand in the tub
When the water is freezing – rub a dub dub!
The bucket is filled with a chilling supply
From the rectangular winter chest that never runs dry
Take a few cubes; Sprite is better chilled
Find the next clue and no one gets killed!

Even though Simon and Lily arrived a bit late
A friendly atmosphere they do create
Their pizza is steaming, their company craved
We’re lucky that from Boston, Simon was saved 
Steering under bridges, mafia lined
When Deyon paddles we’re all left way behind
His beauty and grace make us happy with joy
What a sweet, loving, sailor of a boy
When heading for the arboretum we take our fuel
From a combination closet containing the tools
Go quickly, young boaters (I mean big boys, Colin)
In this cabinet has the next clue fallen!

Faye and K Man went out on a boat
With Amanda’s good judgment they’d surely float
Unfortunate turns got them quite stuck
Even K Man got worried and stopped chasing ducks
He hopped in the water to pull them to shore
Screaming of monsters on the lake floor
When Kiel came to rescue the boat from the lilies
The hysteria had turned K Man quite silly
Reluctant to set foot in the muddy lake
Faye remained sitting as jokes she did make
Her long blonde locks glinted in the sun
As K Man made every effort to run
He felt what he guessed to be a large shark
But soon they were pulled away from the park
Use kayaks young campers, and keep to the path
Steer clear of the lily pads and their fiery wrath
Make your way over to the roped off ground
For the next clue, just look around!

Capture the flag with day camp is never too fun
It’s not easy to find an incentive to run
Instead we spend our time on more enjoyable toys
Up and down they go, pushed on by the boys
Underdogs are common, and tightly gripped hands
The treasure is hidden UNDER THE SAND!

Week Four

2009-07-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

Summer is finally here! The sun is out, the wind is blowing, and there is no better time to be on a boat. This week we got to go all the way to the center for wooden boats, madison beach, and kayak around the arboretum. We had a great group of kids and many returning campers from last year which allowed us to extend our reach of things we could do. Hope everyone had as good a time as I did. My imovie isn't letting me compress videos to full quality so this is a little lower quality but hope you enjoy!

Here are the clues to the Treasure Hunt! Written by Amanda

We are the mighty Light Rail pirates, follow our tracks
Efficient transit brings clean air that noisy traffic lacks
This journey will be grilling, but you must persevere
Where the popsicles reside, the next clue is near!

Thomas can dry capsize his boat like a pro
Jessica loves to tell Amanda “No!”
Thomas is late more often than not,
When boys take the elevator, Jess gets them caught
Although the sun warms our bodies on docks
There’s a winter wonderland in a large box
Drinks are cooled, hypothermia tested
The next clue is certainly ice infested!

Maddy, NOT Madison, is quite the star
She plays softball and sails and never strays far
Michael loves South Park, especially Butters
Bravely borrowing sun screen without even a stutter
There’s a certain boat that will never point straight
The occupants always seem to be late
Its color is rosy, the durability strong
Look in the seat and you just can’t go wrong!

We could all talk about dear Erica for hours
Her face is the most delicate of all flowers
Her kayaking skills are out of control
We’re drawn to her tan skin and wonderful soul
Holton steals grapes and goldfish, but not whole grain
He sails so fast that he makes his own lane
Bike accidents cause cute pictures on phones
But check out the handlebars that we call our own!

Although every camper is special and wild
The craziest award goes to one lovely child
For constant swim time, he’s the one to thank
Bubbling and boisterous, our good friend Hank!
He’ll jump out of any boat when he gets the chance
Flying like Superman, his arm raised in a trance
Hank does front flips off the rowboat edge
From our dock we saw a car fly over the edge
Hank will be needed to retrieve the next clue
It is hidden in this area deep, dark and blue!

Queen City Junior Boaters are known for their strength
They can kayak and kayak for the longest of lengths
In order to go boating, they must pick up gear
Keys are not needed, only combinations here
The instruments of movement are long, black or yellow
Whoever finds the next clue is quite the fine fellow!

Composting is what us kids do best
Our disposal skills are certainly put to the test
There is a dangerous land nearby, however
Where the methods of waste removal are not so clever
Sewage overflows are never too pleasant
But what if they contain the next joyful present?

When we are pushed on this play toy of choice
Some of us scream, others lose their voice
Nausea can strike like a strong gust of air
When riding this structure, stomachs beware
We love to spin, around and around
The pirate treasure is hidden UNDER THE GROUND!

Week Three

2009-07-11T11:05:00.001-07:00

Well week three was quite the adventure of a week. We started out on Monday with a boat getting it's mast stuck in the mud and a long ordeal to get it free. K-Man even offered to become Atheist if our luck didn't start turning around. We meet a nice man who lived on a house boat who helped finally free the mast and gave hot tea to everyone. Tuesday and Wednesday were both very cloudy days mixed with rain and not that ideal for boating. However on Thursday the sun finally came out and we all ventured over to Madison Beach for some sun. Friday was the perfect boating day with just the right amount of wind and plenty of sun as well. Here is the video from week three and also the first video for the summer. Amanda has the pictures on her computer but is in Portland for the weekend so when she returns we'll put them up. Thanks everyone for a wonderful week.

2009 Boating Camp Week 2

2009-06-30T18:50:00.000-07:00

So we have a new camera, with a floaty strap, and have been taking lots of pictures. You can download any of the pictures off the picasa website and share them with people. Today, Wednesday we had a great time sailing up to Ivars and going over to Gasworks park. The wind is steady, although maybe 2 knots too fast, and the sun is beautiful. Had a lot of fun swimming today with a capsized Opti.

here are the pictures so far from this week!

Dave Matthews and Fiona

2009-06-15T17:29:00.000-07:00

As many past campers might know I enjoy listening to music by the Dave Matthews Band quite a lot. I was and still am amazed to learn that Fiona, a frequent camper at QCYC, recently stared in the latest Dave Matthews Band music video for the song "Funny the Way It Is". While it would be difficult to directly say there is a connection to being at the camp and starring in Dave Matthew's music videos, I think it would be impossible to say that that connection does not exist at all. The experiences you learn at camp relate directly to starring in music videos. Congratulations Fiona, I am very jealous.

Watch the video

2009 Summer Update!

2009-02-01T01:42:00.000-08:00

I am excited to announce that I will be returning this year for one last summer of boating camp. I am even more excited that long time camper and last year's junior counselor, Amanda, will be joining me as the second counselor. This is going to be a very fun summer and I can't wait to get out on the water and have some adventures!

2009-01-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

sailing camp week eight

2008-08-16T20:18:00.000-07:00

This was the last week of the camp and by far the hottest. The group this week wasn't as in to sailing as some of the previous groups so a couple times we broke off into two groups so those that could go sailing could which worked out well. We got in some good matches of capture the flag and base tag at gasworks parks. Thanks for Amanda and Colin for helping out throughout the week. Enjoy the pictures and video!

This has been the best year of sailing camp yet. The exciting thing about working here is that every year camp keeps on getting better and grows in size. Thank you everyone for coming and making this a great summer for Ian and I. Hope to see you all next year. Stay in touch and let me know what you are up to. My email is kielj@lclark.edu

Week Seven

2008-08-12T23:16:00.000-07:00

Week seven was a week of sun and wind. Amanda helped out this week so we had three counselors which I think everyone benefited from. At the beginning of the summer I was always worried because at the end of the day it looked like we were running out of things to do, this week however we always were running out of time. Monday we successfully made it to The Center For Wooden Boats and were able to sail around Lake Union. And on Thursday we made it to Madison Beach, although we barely made it back as it was upwind sailing for most of the return trip. Everyone did a great job and was a pleasure to have at camp. At the start of the week I felt like we were a very scattered bunch of kids but by the end we had become a connected group. Thanks everyone for making the week so much fun. Enjoy the pictures and movie.

Week Six

2008-08-03T19:50:00.000-07:00

What a fun week! For week six we had all high schools which created a great dynamic and I felt like by the end we were a great group. I felt like I could trust anyone in that group which is really great to have. Everyone was a pleasure and very enjoyable to have at camp. The Blue Angels were flying this week which made things extra exciting. Monday we spent the day sailing around Lake Union. Tuesday the weather was rainy so we spent the morning indoors but got to go sailing in the afternoon. On wednesday we got a chance to tour the University Bridge. The whole summer we always go under this bridge and it is interesting getting to meet the people who are in charge of it. On Thursday we went to the Arboretum and got to check out MOHI. I got water on the digital camera but by the end of the day it had dried off. Friday we had our treasure hunt and went to Agua Verde. The afternoon was without a doubt the strongest and gustiest wind we have had this summer. Thank you everyone for making this week one of the highlights of the summer for both Ian and I.

Week Five!

2008-07-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Week five turned out to be one of the most interesting but fun weeks of the summer. It started out a little awkwardly with just Zach and Ian and I on monday morning but thankfully Philip and on tuesday Anselm joined us. It was pretty cloudy most of the week but this meant we had some great wind and were able to get in some of the best sailing of the summer. Regretfully we also forgot the camera and ran out of batteries on some of our most exciting adventures which was to bad but we were still able to get some great shots in. On monday we sailed all the way to the Center for Wooden Boats which was a first for the camp. We got to check out their newly remodeled park and facility. They even had a little pond where you could race model wooden sail boats. Sailing in Lake Union is very amazing because there is the seattle sky line and also some of the best wind in the city which comes off the sound, however you just have to be careful because of all the sea planes landing and taking off which at times seemed pretty constant. The highlight of the week for me would definitely be when Zach and I took the lasers out and just sailed around Lake Union for the afternoon. We had around 8-10 knot wind and had to hike out for most of it. We got to bug the ride the duck people and they always loved taking pictures of us. We also got some good racing in. By the end my arm was pretty sore from having to hold the main sheet for so long against so much wind. At the beginning of the week we were a little worried that camp would suffer from not having enough kids but it turned out to be a great week and we were able to split up and do what everyone wanted to do which I think made the camp better for everyone. I hope everyone had as much fun as we did. Enjoy the movie and pictures and hope to see you all soon.

Week Four

2008-07-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

The end of week four means that camp is half way over. It is always sad to say good-bye after spending a week with a group of kids. You just grow used to seeing the same people every morning. Ian and I have been fortunate enough that Andrew decided to join us for three weeks (a camp record!). But the end of this week marks the last time he will be at camp. He will be missed.

The big highlight for both Ian and I from this week was the trip to the harbor patrol. Usually a visit to the harbor patrol just means getting a tour of the police station but this year they took us all out in one of their patrol boats and we got to use their huge water cannon. There are lots of pictures from the tour included this week and looking at them all I think I may have gone a little overboard in taking photos.

This week we had some good weather earlier in the week however on Wednesday the mornings started getting a little muggy, but they always turned sunny by lunch time. We had some exciting sailboat races this week and everyone got into playing "laser ball" a sailing game where we play tag with a tennis ball.

This entire summer I have been impressed with everyone's sailing skills. I think a lot of it has to do with having returning students in the class and that we have been fortunate enough to have some good wind which has allowed us to do more sailing. Everyone has shown some good sailing and people seem to really be improving by the end of the week.

The boat building race at the end of the week also was exciting. With a three way tie going into the final round between Sydney, Hank, and Sophie. However Hank and his very cool milk carton boat pulled ahead at the end. Thanks everyone for coming. This week I made the photo slideshow a little smaller so hopefully it will be easier to load. Let me know if you have any problems.

Week Three!

2008-07-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Both Ian and I agreed that while every week of camp is fun this week was the most fun. The weather could not have been more perfect and both of us as counselors found our "groove" it was also great to have such an enthusiastic bunch of kids who were excited about going sailing. It was a pleasure waking up each morning to do camp. Everyone improved at sailing and I would trust all the campers to take me out sailing now. On Monday we started by sailing over to Lake Union. Usually Ian and I are both in a sailboat during the first day but since we had so many experienced sailors I used the motor boat while the Ian went out in an Fj and we were also able to bring along another Fj and a Laser. Lake Union is the most beautiful place to sail and it really makes you think about how lucky we are to live in Seattle, expect all the boat traffic. On Tuesday we Kayaked over to the Aurboretum for some great games of capture the flag, Ian ran into a bush and cut his face leaving a nasty piraty gash for the rest of the week. On Wednesday we had some great wind so we decided to sail over to Madison Beach, besides trouble towing all the boats with my 8 horsepower engine everything went great. Madison Beach days are the most stressful for me because it is a long way and we have to go through all the boat traffic in Garbage Bay. I only wish that we had left earlier so we could have spent some more time at Madison Beach. Wes got crazy for ice cream and we all had to help in providing an intervention. On the sail back he hit the ice cream blues big time. We were about 30 minutes late which I am still very sorry for. Towing back always takes longer then expected even though we left Madison Beach at 1:00. On Thursday we went over to gasworks park and played some base tag. Also I added a new rule that whenever we saw a ride the duck car we had to stick out our tongues at them everyone also went up to the lonely man selling snacks at gasworks and told him a joke to lighten up his day. On Friday we finished the Goonies, which is the perfect movie for camp I decided, and then went on our treasure hunt. After that we raced our model boat and then sailed over to Agua Verde which was pretty crowded but I ran into an old high school friend which was nice. Overall I could not have asked for a better week and I thank everyone for coming. Be sure to check out the video because some of the shots are pretty amazing.

Week Two

2008-07-07T21:49:00.001-07:00

Week two was a shorter week because of The Fourth of July but we still managed to do plenty of fun stuff. We had some returning campers and it was great to see them again. Thursday we had thunder and lightening which made for a very realistic treasure hunt. Afterwards we were forced to take shelter because of the weather and watched probably the worst movie I have ever seen, The Cat in the Hat. Later it clear up and we managed to sail over to Agua Verde once the weather cleared up which we all agreed was a much better place to eat than Ivars. On Wednesday we should have sailed up to Madison Beach but I didn't think the wind would last so we went kayaking to the Arboretum. This trip turned out to be a little long but we all had a great time playing capture the flag. It was nice not to be competing with the Seattle Yacht Club for space this week and besides all the motor boat traffic were able to get in some good sailing. Hope everyone had a great 4th and if you were lucky got to spend it on the water somewhere.

slideshow of week 2 pictures

video from second week

First week of camp

2008-06-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

Our first week of camp has just ended. In the two years of doing this camp this week was one of the most pleasant and enjoyable to be a part of. The reason for this was the great group of kids we had who were excited to be at camp. We got some great sailing in and by the end of the week everyone was a much better sailor than when we started. Some of my highlights from the first week were: getting to sail in the FJ's, capture the flag at the Arboretum, being mobbed by ducks during lunch, talking about Dave Matthews, watching sea planes take off at Gasworks Park, pushing people around in shopping carts, easy sailing, sunny skies, seeing hawks fishing, Carter in the spinning thing at Madison Beach, singing, walking around the Montlake Community Center dressed as pirates and almost being refused entrance because of our outfits. I'm sure there are lots of memories I'm missing and I'd like to hear from any of the campers about what things they liked. Here are the videos and pictures from last week.

slideshow of week one pictures

carter and fiona get dizzy video

collection of camp videos

2008-06-04T20:02:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the new Queen City Junior Boating webpage!

On here you will find pictures and registration information.

Once camp starts I'll be making weekly summaries of the week with pictures and videos of the week.

Registration has begun and there are still spots available for every week but they won't last for long.