Sunday the 20^th of May we finally had our Open Day at Camas, and what a day it was!

At 10 o’clock we were all ready with cakes, tea, games and kayaks but where were the visitors? Just before 11 we really started to doubt that anyone would show up and then, walking down the track, a mum and her son. Hurray! Soon after we had more and more people coming and pretty soon we had a full centre of happy kids and parents.

During the day we offered tea and cakes in the common room which were taken outside to enjoy the lovely view and of course the sunshine. We had 4 kayak sessions throughout the day and we also brought people over to the quarry for an abseil. Both of these sessions were very much appreciated by the adventurous people.

In the art room we had a slightly calmer day making dream catchers, friendship bracelets and some rock painting. Children of all ages (2-30) seemed to enjoy this as well.

The day was, according to the poster, supposed to end around 4, but due to the amount of visitors and the lovely weather, our last visitors left us just around 5. All of a sudden the whole centre seemed very quiet and empty...

We would like to thank all of you who came down to Camas on our Open Day, so nice to meet everybody and to show you more about what we do here. Thank you all and we hope to see you again very soon!

Linnea

From the perspective of a youth group

Sunday/Monday
Waking up for Breakfast, ‘UHH! it’s 8.30 am!’On the first full day at Camas we split into two groups for Abseiling and Art. During the kayak session we played games in the water such as tag. By this point I had fallen in four times. The first time was definitely the worst as the chill of the water was quite a shock!

Andy and Karle

Tuesday/Wednesday
The next day half the group braved the 40 ft descent down the granite quarry – some quaking more than others and some taking longer than others! Jon, the instructor, was very patient and reassuring. While half the group the group were abseiling, the other half took part in a treasure hunt which involved climbing through a poisonous spider’s web, killing a shiver of sharks and hauling a lobster pot from the bottom of the ocean.

Later that day we packed for wild camping on Market bay. We built a fire which lasted for 4 hours, long enough to cook our jacket potatoes and to keep us warm whilst listening to ghost stories.

Richard and Aaron 

Thursday
The raft building challenge - Our team worked well together to build an unbreakable and, as it turned out, undefeatable raft. Unlike previous years, there was no plan of sabotage but as the oppositions raft tipped over twice within minutes, we didn’t need to anyway.
Finally, we got our chance to run Camas for a day. The air was full of anticipation and rumours; the stirrings of a song started to emerge, the art room began producing great lengths of streamers and  delicious aromas started to drift over our heads from the kitchen. It made for one fabulous last evening together. 

Becky and Caroline 

(Photo taken seconds before the raft tipped over.)

The next morning we awoke to the reality of the fact that it was time to leave Camas and say our goodbyes. After our long, slow trek down the track one last time, we shared our memories of the week in a final reflection. Thank you to everyone who supported our efforts to fundraise for Camas, you will never know what a difference it has made to all our lives and we will be eternally grateful.

First week of the season

 

Top Tips

-          Porridge + Chocolate may sound like a great idea, but is infact an awful idea.

-          If  luggage is A) Heavier than you, or B) Bigger than you, you might need to re-think your packing.

-          If you pitch your tent on a slope, you will slide down it whilst asleep and awake in a heap at the bottom of your tent.

-          Freshly laid eggs make excellent hand-warmers.

April 14^th saw the arrival of a Youth Group from Wolverhampton. Buses, ferries and trains were the transport of the day. The group arrived in glorious sunshine and were treated to an entire week of uninterrupted sun. God obviously does bless Wolverhampton.

A full week of activities saw kayaking, peat digging, and abseiling. Note, if you’re a first time abseiler, humming the James Bond theme tune is a great help. As in ABBA’s greatest hits. And last but not least, Raft building; an activity that saw sheer determination. So what if your raft has tipped over, and is now upside-down? You shall carry on regardless.

 What was that, sorry? Half your team have abandoned raft and are now swimming to shore? You shall carry on regardless. The other team have finished? That will not stop you either. You will complete this race.

A night was spent wild camping on Market Bay, the most stunning beach I think I have ever seen. On route, many a shoe was pulled off by the power of the Scottish bogs. Remember folks, to always tie your shoe laces correctly. Jacket potatoes were cooked on the fire, the stars were gazed at ... A perfect evening.

In fact, a perfect week. Not an argument was had, not a voice was raised. A fond farewell and a wish to have you back again. Thank you from the staff for an amazing week.

Becky

‘Fantastic opportunity to experience a week full of fun activities and time to reflect on the days we have had. Eating together as a family and enjoying the great food that was cooked for us.’

 Matthew

‘Camas was amazing. It was great and we had so many great laughs and I would LOVE to go again.’

Storm

Work Week at Camas

Work week at Camas and a group of willing and eager volunteers make their way down the track to help prepare the centre for the arrival of a new season of guests. For some of the volunteers the week represented a return to a place of fond memories, whether having attended previous work weeks or worked at Camas as a volunteer. For me this was my first visit to Camas and immediately I was struck by the beautiful setting, warm welcome and abundant enthusiasm of the Camas staff team, not forgetting Tawhai who has settled in to his recently acquired role as Camas ‘top dog’… After a quick tour and a much appreciated tea and scone, a few of us set off for a walk to nearby Market Bay. Trying hard to avoid sinking into a deep bog (despite the sunshine the ground was still very wet) we arrived at the bay to be greeted by white sands and a calm sea. As pleasant as it looked I was more than happy to enjoy it from the beach but, after a long days travelling, one of the volunteers braved the cold waters for what I can only imagine was a very refreshing dip!

Tawhai at Market Bay

During our week we were blessed by some unusual spring sunshine which, along with the views of the bay from my bedroom window, made getting up in the morning an all the more pleasant experience. Even the lack of wind towards the end of the week which meant that there wasn’t enough energy harnessed from the wind turbine for a warm shower didn’t put me off!

Starting the day with a hearty breakfast of porridge, fruit and scones provided us with the sustenance we needed to set to work. On the list of jobs for the week:

·         Repairing the track

·         Sanding and painting ceilings, walls and floors

·         Clearing brambles

·         Chopping up kindling

·         Cleaning windows

·         Sanding and painting wheelbarrows

·         Repairing the sheds

·         Planting seeds

Whilst the father and son duo headed off up the track with their wheelbarrows to carry out the ongoing hard task of track maintenance for the first few days, the rest of us stayed closer to home working in the dorms and in the garden. There was never a dull day with lots of varied work to keep us busy punctuated by plenty of laughter and, of course, plenty of tea breaks. Nature too provided us with opportunities to reflect on the beauty of the place in which we were staying; from the local sheep making their daily pilgrimage to the small tidal island to the fins of a pod of dolphins spotted out in the bay, there was no forgetting that Camas is a special place.

The sense of community is something that I think we all found truly inspiring about life on Camas. Whether you are a member of staff, a volunteer or a passing visitor, you are welcomed into the community with open arms. Mealtimes provided the opportunity to not only reflect on the day but also to get to know each other and I couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to spend my time at Camas with. Thanks to some talented staff and volunteers I can also honestly say that I haven’t eaten so well in a long time. There is nothing better than home cooked food and freshly baked bread and cakes. Amazing! Being a less adept cook, I set myself my own personal culinary goal to bake bread for the first time with Jon, the Camas Coordinator, another bread making novice. The timing was touch and go for a while but it all worked out well in the end with everyone fed and happy. Shop bought bread will never taste the same again!

At the end of a day of fresh air and hard work the log fire provided welcome relief (or a blazing inferno depending on who was in charge of keeping the fire going!) from the coolness of the starry night outside and the perfect setting for evening reflection, some music, reading and even knitting lessons by candlelight! A walk to the top of a nearby hill was also a magical moment as we watched the sun setting over the islands. On the final night we looked back at our week together and what a week it was. I think that I speak for all of us when I say that there are memories of that week that will be forever with us. Thank you to everyone who made it so special.

On Tour

So... many a thing has happened between high tide and low here at Camas, and we know (we really do) how late this update is.

When Becky and I began our Camas year we got off the bus in the dark, and were met by Josef, Jon and Tawhai (the dog) with torches and wheelbarrows. Jon, the new Camas co-ordinator was particularly pleased that his afternoon had been spent on the sea, canoeing between Camas and Bunessan where on this perfect calm day they had been practically surrounded by sea Eagles and Otters. I hope this is the start of a great time at Camas for him.

It seemed like I was barely back to the Hebrides before I was back on bus boat and train with Josef, to visit lots of the groups who came up to camas last year, and who may be coming up this year.

A big Thank You to everyone for your hospitality.

Josef was greeted with rounds of TT in Glasgow, and we got plenty of cake. It was really great to recognise faces, and hear all the strange things you remembered from your holiday. We are now looking forward to all the new people coming with juggling skills, and knowledge of the Seas of Europe.... but Josef wasn’t born in one of them.

I nearly thought I was back at Camas as I sat making friendship bracelets with folk towards Manchester way (one dressed up as a tiger) then eating ‘golden slice’ for a shared dinner. Then beautiful train journeys through the Pennines, to steaming mugs of hot chocolate at a very busy youth cafe. It was so nice to see familiar people who dropped in to catch up, and everyone who remind us of the rules of UNO.

There was so much to see in Sheffield, that a day didn’t seem enough for exploring the cutlery weaving, printing and felting workshops, working gardens, and drama and film studios (the list goes on). Luckily students who go to the college get to spend 3 years there; it was great fun to see what old friends were making, and to be introduced to many new students. Well the food was so good, and there was so much to learn, we had to go back.... but that’s a different story.

Thanks for our stay everyone, we look forward to your visits to Camas.

Rosie

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you have had a great Christmas and New Year and that 2012 has gone off to a good start.

2012 is going to be an exciting year at Camas. Mainly because every year at Camas is quite exciting but also because of special fun things are happening. You might be aware of the fact that Mary has left Camas after 3 years of being the Commander in Chief. That in itself is not very exciting. It’s quite sad actually. She was (and still is – But I haven’t actually met her since she left) great, and will be missed by staff, guests, chickens, various seabirds and ticks. If I could make my own Camas ‘mount Rushmore’ on the quarry her face would be forever carved in pink granite.

The exciting thing that I’m trying to get to is that we have a new top dog coming in. A new chief, a new boss, manager, commander. A new… ehh… well, a new Co-ordinator. Mr Lloyd, Jon Lloyd, will be starting his post within short. And we are all (well, at least me, since I’m the only camas staff actually at Camas, but I’m sure others are too) very excited to welcome him, and soon after his arrival , other Camas staff will come back and the season will be up and running. Can’t wait.

The other exciting thing is that the little hut that Camas has on Iona is going to be refurbished. Holes will be filled in, things will be painted and, well the whole thing is pretty much going to be replaced. That makes me excited. No more strategic placements of buckets to catch water through leaks in the roof. No more lying awake on a stormy night wondering just how much it hurts to have a building collapse on your face. No more trying to guess where the mouldy smell is coming from and what long-term effects it’s going to have on my respiratory system. Again: can’t wait.

Apart from all these special excitements, Camas is going to have yet another season of fun. We have a terrific bunch of people lined up for the summer. A lot of groups coming back from previous years, and many new people are about to experience Camas this summer.

That is all from me at this time. A wish I had a camera so I could show you pictures of what Camas looks like in January. But I don’t. Maybe you can all draw a picture of what you think Camas looks like in January, post it on our facebook page, and then I can say which one is closest and everyone will know what it’s like. Do that.

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