Merrymeeting Audubon Society generously gave me a scholarship to the 2005 Hog Island Youth Camp. This camp was a weeklong experience on Hog Island, Maine. It was a wonderful experience and I wish I could go again next year. We did lots of things, from learning about marine animals to fun crafts. If you are interested in participating in this camp you can visit Maine Audubon website for a full description of the camp. Or you could take a look at this website.
Here is a description provided by Maine Audubon of the program in general and specifically of the week long youth camp experience:
At Hog Island Audubon Camp something extraordinary happens when you cross the channel . . . . Accessible only by boat, Hog Island Audubon Camp is nestled in a 330-acre coastal wildlife sanctuary just 60 miles northeast of Portland, Maine. Since 1936, its summer programs for adults, educators, young people, and families have been led by some of the most respected naturalists and environmental educators in the nation. Campers awake to bird song and fall asleep with the sound of the tide. In between, they roam spruce-fir forest and fern-filled meadows, or explore tide pools and rocky beaches on this coastal Maine island. Every Hog Island session is an authentic experience of Maine’s nature. At Hog Island Audubon Camp, you’re “away from it all”—exactly where you should be.
Youth Camp
Our youth session for boys and girls was developed to instill an appreciation,
respect, and sense of stewardship for the natural world. Led by dedicated
science and environmental educators and naturalists who have strong backgrounds
working with middle-school-aged youth, campers learn about nature, themselves,
and how they relate to the natural environment. A camper-to-instructor
ratio of six to one and enrollment of just 50 campers creates a warm and
personal atmosphere for learning. The curriculum is wide ranging and includes
marine science, geology, forest ecology, ornithology, and field and pond
studies.
Here is a day by day accounting of my experience at Hog Island youth camp.
Day 1 - Tuesday
Day 2 - Wednesday
Day 3 - Thursday
Day 4 - Friday
Day 5 - Saturday
Day 6 - Sunday
Day 7 - Monday
Day 8 - Time to Leave!
Photo Credits: Amelia took some of the photos displayed on this web site but most were taken by the staff at Hog Island who kindly gave each camper a compact disk loaded with images of Hog Island and Muscongus Bay at the end of the session.