You're positivly GLOWING!

The new members programme was back again this past weekend for the equivalent of 3 jam packed days with their “alternative new members,” which (before you start asking yourself in your head) by NO MEANS means they are the second round draft pick for the community. We did our best to try to fit the full Camas experience into a weekend, but I think that everyone is hoping these lovely folks can clear their schedules for a whole week next year! What could have been SO amazing about the weekend that they would leave screaming, “MORE!” you ask?... Well, besides the joy of getting some much needed maintenance tasks done, we went kayaking nearly every day (with a friendly seal even on one occasion), played some music and sang together while being warmed by cups of hot chocolate and a warm fire in the common room, ate Hamish’s “Anzac Slice” during tea breaks that stretched for well over 30 minutes, and even left time enough for swims and hikes to Market Bay in their free time. The guests also seemed to enjoy some deep discussions during their sessions with Peter, and I know all of us staff appreciated having some bonding time over arts and crafts... including helping Rob create a drum kit out of recyclable tubs and tins.

Even though all those things were amazingly fun, I think everyone would agree that the true high point of the weekend is not listed above. On Sunday night everyone was on a night walk down by the bay, and thanks to a happy (not too painful) accident involving gravity and our dear Autumn, we discovered there was phosphorescence in the water of the bay. Sadly, no pictures could capture the beauty we saw, but those of you reading this that have ever been lucky enough to have experienced this wonder of nature in person will know what a magical experience it was. With a simple brush of a finger or raindrop on the smooth black surface of the water you could release a trail or pinprick of green light, and the splash of a rock turned into a natural firework explosion out in the bay. Some folks even ditched their wellies for wetsuits and went swimming, despite the cold, just to see the trails of light their strokes left in their wake.

There really isn’t much to say after that... just like the tides all too quickly took the phosphorescence out of the bay, Monday morning came and took the guests away too, but we still have some great memories, boxes of dried peat, bits of mended track, and woven plastic windscreens for the garden to remember them by... until they come back next year that is!

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