March 10, 2009 - After a year’s hiatus, Pine Island’s Family Camp is back in 2009!!
 
Family Camp is a great way to relax with your family and share a small slice of the Pine Island experience with them.  You can make it the venue for a mini-reunion with Pine Island friends and their families, or with your own extended family – grandparents, cousins, etc.
 
The Family Camp format will be as it always has been:  four days to enjoy the good life on Great Pond with great food, terrific company, stellar entertainment, comfortable tent living, perfect swimming and boating, and nothing to do that you don’t feel like doing.  Please note that once again Family Camp starts on a Thursday and ends on Sunday.  Boats to bring you to the island will start at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 13, and Family Camp will end after lunch on Sunday, August 16.
 
In order to keep Family Camp a comfortable and relaxing experience we must limit enrollment, so please let us know as soon as possible if you’re planning to join us.  Click here for information and registration materials.  If you have any questions, call (207-729-7714) or e-mail us at any time.  We hope to see you in August!

 
2008 Farewell Picnic - Click here for a PDF transcript of excerpts from Ben's closing remarks at the 2008 Farewell Picnic.

September 18, 2008 - The third annual Sloan Critchfield Memorial Boat Maintenance Workshop took place September 12-14, 2008 at Pine Island.  We are able to hold this annual workshop thanks to the generosity of over 200 donors, whose gifts have created an endowment fund to honor the memory of Pine Islander Sloan Critchfield.  In his short life, Sloan embodied all the best qualities of a Pine Islander – enthusiasm, good humor, a willingness to take on new challenges, and a love of boats and the water.  Sloan’s exuberant spirit remains alive at PIC in the boat maintenance workshop and in the hearts of his many Pine Island friends.

This year some 20 volunteers gathered to enjoy the fabulous cooking of Pine Island parent and volunteer Sandy Holland, whose desserts have become legendary at PIC, and to perform vital work to keep Pine Island’s large fleet of wooden boats in tip-top shape.  This year’s crew, under the direction of workshop leader Becky Farley, did a lot of work!  The crew sanded and painted the hulls of the four Pine Island Skiffs and touched up the insides.  Nico and Jack Walsh did  some much-needed work to the War Yacht's keel, and that boat is now ready for a new coat of special paint in the spring.  Rob Whitehouse did a great deal of work to the John G., and that boat will be in excellent shape to start the 2009 season.  Matt and Lindsay Clarke took on the project of repairing a number of Old Town canoes.  With help from Harry Swan, Max Huber, and others, they fastened new gunwales and repaired cracks in the hulls.  Others sanded and  varnished oars and sanded and painted the hulls of both Sloan and Betsy. John Critchfield, with design help from Becky and construction help from Jack Walsh, completed a rolling cradle to be used for easier transportation of either Sloan or Betsy between the boathouse and the water. 

Our sincere thanks to everyone who came and helped.   We look forward to next season’s weekend.

September 1, 2008 - Despite – or perhaps because of – the wettest War Game anyone can recall, the 2008 Pine Island season was another triumphant summer.  For those who experienced the August rains, it was hard to remember the almost arid first half of July, when dust was a bigger enemy than mud.  With a full house of 86 campers and a talented, dedicated, creative, and fun-loving staff, we enjoyed sunny days on the lake, at Whitehead, and on the trail.  Even after rainier weather set in, however, Pine Islanders remained upbeat and active as ever, enjoying in-camp activities and the usual array of camping trips.

It was the War Game, however, that truly tested Pine Islanders’ mettle.  The drizzle began as the camp was boarding the busses that would take them to the War Game site some 20 miles away at York’s Crossing.  Rain persisted throughout practice day and all through the night, and there were definitely some low moments, when people were wet and downright cold.  There was a welcome respite from the rain during the first day of play, though rain – hard rain – resumed that night and continued until early afternoon on the second day.   Through the Herculean efforts of assistant director Rhoads Miller, however, tarps were strung all over the campsite and at the center of town where people could gather out of the rain, and bonfires were kept blazing to give people an opportunity to warm up and dry off.  In the end, everyone had a great time and a truly memorable War Game, and, although the score ended in a decisive Blue victory, this year more than ever it can be said that Pine Island Always Wins!

The camp season ended with more rain on packing day (the post-camp laundry, always quite an experience for parents, doubtless presented even more interesting challenges this year!).  But that rain was relatively brief, and the evening ended in an exciting visit from several of King Kababa’s henchmen, including one who spent the entire Sacred Ceremony gracefully gliding around in a canoe setting beautiful circles of fire afloat in the cove.  The rest of the henchmen were in the Dining Hall presenting to the camp a beautiful spider named Arach-the-Nid, with an unusual and unforgettable chant:  A-rach rach rach rach rach rach rach, the Nid Nid Nid Nid Nid Nid Nid!   The arrival of a spider as this year’s Sacred Animal offered a ready explanation for the predominance of the number 8 in the sacred signs King Kababa had been sending throughout the summer.

King Kababa continued to smile down on Pine Island the next day with a beautiful, dry day for the Farewell Feed, bringing another great Pine Island summer to an end.  We are already busy with off-season maintenance and repairs to get the island ready to greet every one back again in 2009!

October 1, 2007 – We were full to the brim for the 2008 summer season, and although Ben and I were trying to figure out where we all would live in May, we found room for everyone by rebuilding tent 19 (now affectionately known as the “Sky Box”) and by adding a temporary tent platform behind Honk Hall.  The Expedition Campers resided in this tent 22 and in tent 21 and although they were in camp at the beginning and end of the season, they spent much of their summer on the trail and on the water.  Of course they returned in time for Club Honk, the night before the camp picture and the annual Regatta.  This year’s Club Honk pushed the 2-hour mark again with an impressive array of musical acts featuring an all new all-camper band, The Whipper Snappers, headed by front man, guitarist and songwriter, Moss Robeson, age 11.  In the first half of the summer, we were visited by Boston Globe reporter, Jenna Russell, who stayed on the island with us for a full day and night gathering information for her wonderful story “Nature Makes a Comeback,” appearing on the front page of the Saturday edition of the Globe on July 7.  This wasn’t the only time Pine Island appeared in print.  A story by Ben Swan and David Stimson about the building of the Sloan and Betsy and the legacy of wooden boats at Pine Island appeared in the October issue of Wooden Boat Magazine.  The camp season reached its climax in Norridgewock at the War Game, where the Grays were victorious for the first time in 5 years.  In spite of the fierce competition, we held together tightly as a camp community.  King Kababa must have been satisfied as we were graced with a beautiful sacred animal, Ozzy, the Awesome Osprey, in a sacred ceremony where 8 or more henchmen were in attendance, the most seen on the island in recent years.  And the camp season was concluded with a beautiful Fareweel Feed picnic, awards ceremony, and all-star campfire where camp parents were given a taste of the incredible 2007 summer on Great Pond. 

Less than one week after camp, we welcomed a new group of visitors to the island for Family Camp.  This year’s crew was a wonderful bunch, and good times were shared by all.  The kids on the island, in addition to participating in the regular slew of exotic activities (Belgrade Cruise in the KWS, the Flotilla, and the annual hike up Mt. Philip), seemed particularly inspired to catch fish in their free time, and more than one large bass was pulled off the hook. 

With the conclusion of Family Camp, we took down the tents and pulled out many of the docks, but not all, in anticipation of the 2nd annual Sloan Critchfield Memorial Boat Workshop weekend, which ran from Sept. 14 – 16 this year.  This mid-September weekend has proven to be a glorious time on the Lake, where the Sun warmed us by day and temperatures dipped into the lower forties at night.  The leaves were already beginning to show evidence of autumn and the lake was quiet and peaceful.  We got an incredible amount of work done with our 30-member crew, where we sanded and painted the dories, boat souped the War Yacht, and varnished the bright work on the Sloan and Betsy, our 12 ½ ft catboats.  This weekend is a wonderful opportunity to volunteer at Pine Island, helping us with very important maintenance while enjoying time on the island with friends and family. 

As we bid goodbye to the last of our volunteers, Ben, Rhoads, and I put the finishing touches on closing up camp for the winter.  The docks stayed in as Rhoads Miller will be working on various projects through the fall, until the ice makes the passage impossible.  Ben and I returned to our respective homes and immediately began preparations for a busy recruiting season this fall.  After mailing current campers Registration forms with a Nov. 1 deadline, and mailing prospective campers Application forms, we set out a thorough travel schedule with a big trip planned for October visiting Washington DC, Philadelphia, New Canaan, Bedford, Brooklyn, and Manhattan.  Due to the enormous interest in camp in 2007, where we were full by February, and the recent press exposure in The Boston Globe and Wooden Boat, we expect to be full before Christmas this year.  In fact, we are only accepting applications from new campers until we know after the Nov. 1 deadline for returning campers how many spots are available.  When a spot opens, we will send prospects a Registration form that will require a deposit to secure a spot for 2008.  After the October trip, Ben and I will be visiting Chicago and Boston together, while branching off to visit New England and the South separately. 

In addition to this busy recruiting schedule, we are working hard at preparing the Whitehead Light Station for its debut of adult programs in 2008.  The  Keeper’s House is under renovation currently under the supervision of Nick Buck who will work hard through the winter to complete the project.  A septic system is going in to facilitate the private bathrooms that are being installed in each of the bedrooms in the house.  Art Tibett has already begun rebuilding the old stone pier off the island and rebuilding the seawall on the mainland at Topside.  We have commissioned Daisy Martinez for our first adult program where she will be teaching a cooking workshop.  We have also been talking to several other individuals to lead similar workshops and hope to publish a schedule very soon.  If you are interested in attending Daisy’s workshop or one of the other programs, please get in touch with us.  In addition to the adult workshops, we will pilot several other programs on Whitehead using the facility, including private and shared family rentals and private business retreats.  The new Whitehead Light Station website is under development so stay tuned for a link where you can learn all about it. 

As you can see, this is a very exciting time for Pine Island Camp in many different areas.  We will need your continued support as we embark on these new programs, so please help as you are able.  Look for this year’s edition of The Pine Needle, with a more detailed account of the news from the 2007 summer and Whitehead Light Station updates.  If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive The Pine Needle, and other mailings, please contact Joe Kovaz via email.  Thanks for reading and…

                                                                                    Akka Lakka!!

                                                                                    Joe

Follow this link to read the article featuring Pine Island Camp, appearing in the Boston Globe on July 7 this summer:

Nature Makes a Comeback

February 28, 2007 — Having started a waiting list for campers for the 2007 season in mid-January, we are now concentrating on building another all-star staff.   The bulk of the staff is on board, but we are always looking for good young people to talk with about the best summer job in the world, working at Pine Island.  We are also traveling to various cities to introduce future campers and their families to Pine Island.  We already have many families interested in the 2008 season, and we expect to meet more in the next two months.  It seems certain that Pine Island will fill even earlier next year.  

One of the keys to our enrollment success has been the Gateleaders, the newest volunteer opportunity for Pine Islanders.  The Gateleaders, named for the key players in Pine Island’s War Game, are parents and alumni who have been recruited to help director Ben Swan and associate director Joe Kovaz introduce new families to Pine Island.  In their first year, they have already made a tremendous difference, and they will certainly hit the ground running next September. 

One can also volunteer in three other ways.  The Early Bird weekend is just before the counselors arrive in June and gives us a head start with the work of setting up camp for the summer.  Early Bird this summer will be June 7-10.  Ned Bishop runs the show, which consists of putting up tents, repairing things that may have broken over the winter, moving boats, and cleaning up.  We offer good food and bracing 100% dips!  Early Bird is a tremendous help and gets the summer off to a smooth start.   We are also actively recruiting War Game Umpires.  This year the War Game will be August 2 and 3.   We will have a place for you to stay at Pine Island and will teach you the ropes.   While the thick rule book may be daunting, what is most valuable is a love of the game and an impartial (yes, it’s hard) eye.  It is hard work and challenging, but great fun and a tremendous service to the boys, staff, and PIC.  We also will be running the 2nd Annual Sloan Critchfield Boat Workshop Weekend in September.   The first one was a huge success, as volunteers sanded and painted seven rowboats inside and out and worked on paddles and oars.  We had fabulous food and great September weather.   This is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.   You can find out more about any of these opportunities by e-mailing associate director Joe Kovaz at jkovaz@bellsouth.net. 

There is also exciting news about the new programs Pine Island will start in 2008 at the Whitehead Light Station.

Major Work Scheduled for Spring 2007

As Pine Island prepares to launch programs at the Whitehead Island Lightstation in the summer of 2008, several major construction projects that will make the facility ready to receive visitors have been scheduled.  Pine Island has hired three different firms to complete the projects. 

Early next spring local marine contractor Art Tibbetts and his crew will arrive with their specially-equipped barge to rebuild the dock in Boathouse Cove and the ramp to the old Coast Guard boathouse.   They will repair the existing granite pier, build a 12-foot wide ramp from the shore to the pier.   They will then install a 32’ float and a 50’ aluminum ramp so that passengers can unload on the float and walk up the ramp to the pier.   Art Tibbetts has build dozens of fine docks in the area, most notably the bridge from Spruce Head to Burnt Island.  He expects to start work as soon as weather permits in the spring. 

Pine Island alumnus Karl Kasper has volunteered his time and expertise to help Pine Island select, permit, and arrange the construction of a septic system for the Lightstation.  The first dwelling at the Whitehead Lightstation was build in 1803, so certainly privies were used for at least a century.  Eventually the Coast Guard installed indoor plumbing, but simply piped the sewage overboard.  The most recent system included showers and flush toilets and a settling tank between the house and the ocean.  The new system, one already used on many islands, is essentially a small sewage treatment plant that will by necessity (there is almost no soil on all those rocks) be an above ground system.  The system should be in place by the middle of the summer of 2007.

Extensive work will be done on both the interior and the exterior of the Keeper’s House, which will provide bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen and dining facilities, and meeting rooms for program participants during the spring and summer of 2007. Professional contractors have been engaged to replace all the windows; replace the clapboards on the first floor and the shingles on the second floor; and scrape, repair, and paint all the trim.  Inside, a contractor has been chosen to do all the necessary rewiring and plumbing, including adding a bathroom downstairs.  In addition, both upstairs bathrooms will be refurbished and the house will be furnished.  We are looking into the feasibility of supplying hot water with a solar hot water system.  

Pine Islander and volunteer Jim Eklund has already restored the outside of the Schoolhouse, a small building behind the Keeper’s House, and next summer will oversee the completion of the interior, including installing a bathroom, so that the building can be used as a residence.

Pine Island Board Committee At Work on Program Development

A ten-member committee of Pine Island’s board of directors is now at work on developing the programs that will be offered at the Lightstation.  The committee includes two members of the board, Ben Swan and Tom Yoder, and eight non-board members.   They are currently wrestling with decisions concerning what kind of programs Pine Island should offer at the Lightstation, who the target audience should be, how long they should be, and, of course, the financial realities of starting up and running them.  The Pine Island board has already done considerable market research both inside and outside the Pine Island community. When programs begin in 2008 they begin with the fundamentals in place that will enable them to succeed over time and to adhere to Pine Island’s mission.  Stay tuned for announcements next fall or winter of programs in which you can participate. 

We hope that you read the above article in the Pine Needle recently and have been able to catch up on plans for Whitehead.  If you have not received the Pine Needle, please e-mail Joe Kovaz at the address above right away and we will send you a copy and be sure your address is correct on our mailing list.

It is of great importance to Pine Island that we have your current mailing address and e-mail address.  Some of you are still listed at your parents’ home and others are simply lost.  Please take a moment to e-mail Joe of you think we may not have your address or if you would simply like to give us your e-mail address.   Also, if you know a Pine Islander who is not receiving our mailings, please send us a name and address right away.  Maintaining an accurate list of alumni is an ongoing and daunting task and we need all the help we can get.