Mikayla's elementary school has a unique 6th Grade Camp program that they put together themselves. They call it 6th Grade Science Camp. The kids, a few teachers, the principal, and whatever parents wish to help, attend. The whole cost of the camp is paid for with a couple fundraisers the kids do during the year, the kids nor the parents have to pay anything to attend.
The week was spent camping at Marina Dunes RV Park near Monterey. The first day of camp they set up camp and went to the Tide Pools in Point Lobos. John and I couldn't attend the first day, but my Mom and Terry took their motorhome over for us to stay in later in the week, so my Mom got to spend the day with Mikayla at Point Lobos. When they returned back to camp from Point Lobos, they got to walk over to the ocean and play at the beach.
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| Mikayla is in the pink sweatshirt with the black and pink head band. |
Tuesday Mikayla was suppose to go whale watching in the morning and then to a place where they train sea lions in the afternoon. That morning when they woke up, the staff administered Dramamine to all the kids (they had parent permission to) so they wouldn't get sea sick whale watching. Minutes after they had gave the kids the Dramamine, they found out that the tides were too rough that day and their whale watching adventure was cancelled.
Instead of whale watching they went to visit the Carmel Mission, had lunch at the Monterey Wharf (every kid got $15 to buy their lunch), and then they went to learn how the sea lions get trained. They even got a kiss from a sea lion. Mikayla said everyone on the bus ride to Carmel was so drowsy and sleepy. She said it was the quietess bus ride ever. She even fell asleep!
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| Mikayla in pink at the Carmel Mission |
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| Mikayla in the pink |
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| Mikayla is on top in pink |
After they returned back to camp they had dinner, did their nightly responsibilities and gathered around a camp fire for smores and stories. Tuesday evening is when John and I arrived.
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| Mikayla is in the pink and gray jacket on the right. |
At 5am Wednesday morning, Mikayla came running into the motorhome and threw up. Her acid reflux decided to raise it's awful head that day. Wednesday was the day of the big hike. A 13 mile hike at Big Basin State Park. The hike is the part of camp that seems to be dreaded by most. The bus drops everyone off at the start of the hike and then drives 2 hours down the road to pick everyone up at the end of the hike, which is somewhere on the edge of the ocean. There is no turning back on this hike. You have no choice, but to finish it.
Personally, I think its too much for kids this age to be doing. Mikayla tried to muster up the strength to put her stomach issues aside for the day and go on the hike, but it just wasn't happening; and since there were no restrooms, and no way to turn back, we decided it would be best for her and I to stay back at camp. John went with the group and my nephew Dylan (also in 6th grade with Mikayla) on the hike.
The hike turned out to be one of those experiences that people will never forget. The leaders of the pack (people who had did the hike before), took a wrong turn, and the entire group ended up lost and on the wrong hike. Since everyone went at different paces, there were different groups of adults and kids scattered along the trail, so it was easy for someone to feel like they were lost, or alone in the wilderness. John said it was not well organized at all and several parents were getting upset over how they did it.
Long story short, the hike turned out to be much longer than it was suppose to be. The trail they took, did not lead them to the bus. The principal had to hike to a ranger station and convince a ranger to give him a ride (2 hours there and 2 hours back) to the bus, there was no cell service, so that was the only way to get to the bus driver, so the bus could get back to where the kids would finish the hike and be picked up. John said it was a very long day. He was tired, the kids were tired, they went through all their food, there wasn't any restrooms, kids got hurt. I think it was a blessing in disguise that Mikayla was sick, because I probably would not have survived the hike!
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| John and Dylan on the hike |
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Dylan
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Since I stayed back at camp, I helped the cooks wife (the school cook was on the hike) cook dinner for everyone that night. We made sloppy joes along with some fruit. The bus with all the hikers returned back around 7:15pm and everyone was tired and hungry. They were suppose to watch an outdoor movie that night, but since it was so late and the day didn't go as planned. They just ate dinner and got ready for bed instead.
Thursday morning Mikayla was doing much better. All three of us were able to attend the activities for the day, which were, Kayaking at a slough in Moss Landing, eating lunch at UC Santa Cruz and touring the college campus, and dinner at a pizza restaurant.
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| I am on the far right |
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| Some of the group |
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| Mikayla and I |
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Johna and Mikayla
John, Mikayla and I had never kayaked before so it took some getting use to. Mikayla was a pro at it. Her and her friend Niana took off, didn't have any problems and were right up front with the tour guide the entire time. John and I were on a kayak together for a little bit, but there were some kids that just couldn't get the hang of it ( I don't blame them, it took me quite a while to get the hang of it too) so they had to split John and I and a couple of teachers up to go with the kids.
Throughout the kayaking trip, the guides would have us stop and point out different types of sea life in the slough. It was interesting. Only one kayak tipped, and thankfully it wasn't us. Everyone was fine, wet and cold, but fine. The teachers said that's the first time they have ever had it happened.
After kayaking we loaded back on to the bus and drove to UC Santa Cruz. We got to each lunch at the all you can eat cafeteria on campus and then we had two tour guides give us a tour of the campus. It's a pretty campus, but the campus is basically built in the mountains, so nothing is flat. There is lots of climbing to be done. At the top of the campus you can look out on to the ocean. Nice campus, but not a place for me. Plus they are very liberal oriented if you get what I mean :).
John
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Mikayla in the pink sweat shirt again! I did wash her clothes several times during our stay. Thankfully the campground had a laundry mat.
Inside the college cafeteria dining room. Mikayla is in the middle in pink.
The group with our tour guides. Mikayla is on the bottom right in pink!
After our tour we loaded back on to the bus and drove to a pizza restaurant for dinner. When we arrived back at camp, the kids had to start packing their things up and getting ready for bed.
Friday was the last day of camp. The kids had to clean up camp, pack up their things and pack up their tents. They had two activities for the day before returning back to school. They went to the Wild Wonders Animal Zoo in Salinas and stopped at Casa de Fruta for lunch on their way back home. We went to the zoo. The zoo houses the cougar that is the BYU mascot, along with some other animals used in movies and shows.
After the zoo we took Mikayla and Dylan back to the campground with us, later that day, my mom came up with the rest of the grand kids and we spent the weekend in Monterey.
I am glad that Mikayla got to experience such a great 6th grade camp. I am glad that John and I and my mom were able to participate in this experience with her. They really have developed a great program. It's surprising to see how much more little individually ran school districts can do, in comparison to the bigger school districts. Mikayla had fun. She said the funnest activity was kayaking.
