Music over the Water

One of my favourite memories of Sylvan Acres was a combination of music and water.  During the 1980’s we had a regular program feature called the Antiphonal Sing.  It was traditionally held in the evening, as part of a campfire program where we would light candles, attach them to small pieces of wood and carry them, lighted, from the lodge to the waterfront.  There, we would float them out into the water, and gather in three or four groups and sing campfire songs back and forth between the groups.  It was always amazing to watch the thin line of candles float away out of sight and listen to the other groups singing as their voices carried along the shoreline. 

One night we had a large senior teens camp, with well over a hundred campers, and when we walked down to the beach it was necessary to stop traffic on Landsend Road so the campers could continue in an unbroken line down to the waterfront.  Landsend wasn’t a busy road, but there was some traffic, and I think we made the drivers a little nervous as they came around the corner and saw a stream of candle-bearers, most wearing hoodies because it was a cold evening.  However, no one panicked, and they were able to drive quickly away as the procession ended. 

                The other night that I remember most at camp was a night we camped on a small island off the coast.  The whole staff packed up for pre-camp training, and took over a few campsites at a campground on the island.  I had my recorder with me, and after supper I went for a walk along the beach, and heard someone playing a penny whistle on one of the cabin cruisers anchored in the bay.   I ran back to my tent, got my recorder, and when I got back he was still playing.   So I waited for the end of his song, and then played Amazing Grace on the recorder.  For the next hour we traded songs back and forth.  When we finished, I called out to him and told him where we were from, and how to find our camp near the ferry terminal.   I listened for him when we got back to camp, but he didn’t search us out.  It was a neat experience.

                What was your favourite memory of music at camp?  Was it singing in the lodge, campfire songs, or music at the waterfront?  Post a comment and share your experience.