Water Activities at The Aloha Camps
Our spectacular locations on Lakes Morey and Fairlee in Vermont offer campers terrific opportunities for fun and learning, both in and on the water. As it is for all activities at the Aloha Camps, safety is our first concern.
Swimming
Whether in Red Cross or our own modular instruction, free swim, water polo, long-distance swimming, or diving, campers at all our camps will surely improve their swimming skills. Swimming is a high priority at the Aloha Camps, and we are committed both to safety and to fun in the water. Campers generally swim every day, 'though at Aloha and Lanakila, our older, more skilled campers may elect a less intense swimming program. There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a dip in the cool water!
Sailing
Sailors of all abilities have the chance to feel the thrill! Lake sailing is both safe and challenging, as the shifting winds provide lots of opportunity to learn to read their patterns. We launch a variety of boats – counselors can skipper larger ones, with beginners taking the jib, while more advanced campers pilot smaller boats on their own. At Aloha, the girls can also try windsurfing. Our trained staff is always alert and ready to give a bit of advice or help if necessary.
Canoeing
Whether on a quiet paddle before breakfast through the rising mist, in a race across the lake, or while learning to make a perfect landing at a dock, our campers have been canoeing the lakes and rivers of northern New England since 1905. For our many city and suburban campers, canoeing has a special magic as they explore scenic places and move across the water with no motors or noise. Experienced campers may learn to paddle white water or explore lakes and rivers in Maine and the Adirondacks, as well as those closer to Camp in Vermont and New Hampshire.
Crew
This increasingly popular sport for women is a regular part of the program at Aloha. (Crew is offered at Aloha only.) Three four-person boats and two single shells give Aloha campers a chance to enjoy the pleasure of both speed and teamwork on the water.
Kayaking & Row Boating
Kayaks of several sizes are fun and fast, and can be paddled either on our own lakes, or (for more experienced campers) paddled down white water rivers or across lakes farther away. Our rowboats offer a more traditional and still satisfying means of transportation to boaters of all ages and abilities. We focus on people- or wind-powered watercraft, so our only motorboats are those which serve as safety patrol.