Camp Mummichog 2022 delivers on adventure and fun

Camp Mummichog 2022 delivers on adventure and fun

Reflections on a successful camp season

By Camp Director Angela DesVeaux
As summer winds to a close, so does Coastal River’s Camp Mummichog. It was an amazing season full of exploration, education, and laughter shared among campers and staff.

Camp Mummichog offers nature education in many forms: hands-on exploration, physical activity, art, music, writing, games, field trips, and more. Campers explore the forests, marshes and fields of Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm and take field trips to nearby preserves and other locations.

Campers joined us from all around the world, sharing a love of nature and excitement to explore the outdoors. Coastal Rivers is pleased to be able to offer full and partial scholarships to ensure all kids who wish to can participate. Each week of camp focused on a different theme, ranging from outdoor living skills and Wabanaki culture, to plant identification and marine mammal studies.

During Camp Mummichog’s “Firekeepers” session, campers spent the week learning how to identify wild edibles, build fires, and construct emergency shelters. They were excited to share what they learned with their families at the end of each day. One grandparent let us know, “My grandson proudly set up a lean-to tent outside, against the side of the house – and slept in it. He learned this at camp. A good survival skill. Excellent!” Another parent commented on their daughter’s eagerness to identify plants and animals on walks after returning from camp.

campers making use of their emergency shelter

“Marine Adventures” week included several visits to the shore at Blackstone Point at Coastal Rivers Salt Bay Farm, where campers explored with all their senses, splashed in the water, and studied horseshoe crabs, periwinkles, mummichogs, and other creatures.

The same session also featured a field trip to the Darling Marine Center in Walpole, where Dr. Joe Thompson taught the campers about the anatomy, locomotion, and life cycles of squid, blood worms, and peanut worms. From what I heard, all the campers were dreaming about the possibility of becoming future marine biologists after the field trip.

Even while we are saying goodbye for the summer, preparations are already underway for Camp Mummichog 2023. Registration for next summer’s camp sessions will be announced early next year. Those who subscribe to Coastal Rivers emails will be the first to hear when camp registration is launched. (If you’re not already signed up to get our emails, you can do that here!)

Coastal Rivers deeply appreciates the support of our 2022 camp sponsors: Damariscotta Hardware, Hardy Boat Cruises, and The Lincoln County News.

Seaweed silliness photo by Camp Counselor Jonas Stepanauskas. Emergency shelter photo by Camp Counselor Jaya Valentin-Chase.