Paddles in tow

Danette Goulet

The Upper Newport Bay was speckled with what looked like a swarm of

little red ants clinging to banana peels.

They fought against the current with the same determination as a pack

of the raiders returning from a picnic might, but it was a throng of

boisterous campers from the Newport Aquatic Center that headed upstream.

On its first day of a weeklong paddle camp Monday, the group was

heading over to Spider Island in bright yellow kayaks -- each sporting

the mandatory red life vests.

There, they would frolic on the small beach, play in the water and eat

some lunch.

Dressed in swim trunks and baggy rash guards, most students dug in the

sand and chased each other aimlessly about while a couple of them bobbed

in the water in their life vests.

“Can we go look for crabs on the other side?” asked Cade Feitler, 10,

while a group of boys huddled behind him waited to dash at the word “go.”

They would spend a couple of hours there before paddling back.

Before they headed out this first day, students were given safety tips

and rules: don’t leave trash around, don’t borrow or take anything from

anyone else’s locker, no running, no pushing, one-minute showers, check

in and check out with counselors, life vests are a must, and the paddle

is not a weapon.

With that said, it was time for fun.

Those who had not paddled a kayak before got a crash course on how to

use the double-sided oar.

Then off they went.

Children had to work in teams to get their heavy yellow ocean kayaks

down to the beach and into the water and, even then, it wasn’t always

enough.

“I think we need help,” groaned Megan Zweroing, 7.

The yellow beast clearly outweighed her and her similarly small buddy.

The paddle to Spider Island was a short one, but longer treks to

Bubble Island and the Fun Zone await them later in the week.

The camp has a five-day program that runs for 10 weeks. Although the

schedule is the same each week, counselors every year see the same

children return every week. * SCHOOL’S OUT is a weekly feature in which

Daily Pilot education writer Danette Goulet visits a summer camp within

the Newport-Mesa area and writes about her experience.