For Outdoor Enthusiasts or Armchair Survivors

We’ve all heard the news reports of a cross-country skier or a group of hikers losing their way or getting stranded by weather.  Numerous folks find themselves in the wilderness each year with nothing but the clothes on their backs.  Sometimes these situations end in tragedy while every so often amazing stories of survival emerge from the back-country.  Have you ever thought to yourself, “Could I make it?”

We all know that before matches and lighters, somehow people were able to master the art of making fire.  Before large-scale assembly-line production, people crafted their own tools.  And before grocery stores and restaurants, people foraged, trapped and cultivated their own food supply.  Have you ever been astonished at the wealth of knowledge and skills that seems forever lost in the name of technological progress?

We’ve all seen the movie “Castaway” with Tom Hanks and his volleyball friend, Wilson.  It is pretty remarkable to have endured so much with so little.  Have you ever secretly wished that that was you on that Island?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, or if your idea of fun is a Friday night of watching back-to-back Survivorman on the Discovery Channel, then consider an outdoor living skills retreat. 

One such retreat will be hosted by Medomak Camp of Washington, Maine.  A week long outdoor living skills retreat will be taking place August 3-9, 2008. This is a workshop that will emphasize outdoor skills and knowledge, focusing on experiences that have been pushed aside by today’s gear-oriented society or lost to time. A variety of skills that complement each other such as wilderness survival, animal tracking, forest ecology, canoeing, wilderness safety, navigation and primitive skills will be covered. Participants will build primitive shelters, make bow-drill fires, learn to forage for food, and hand make their own wooden bow and arrows. 

The beauty of the week is that participants won’t actually be stranded in the middle of nowhere without supplies.  This retreat is designed to juxtapose primitive skills with modern enjoyments.  Mixed into the programs are opportunities to explore a lake by sailboat, scull or canoe, fish and enjoy excellent food and comfortable accommodations.  This is, after all, hard-earned vacation time.

The outdoor living retreat is a public event that anyone 12 years of age or older can attend.   Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Consider it a Father’s Day gift that a father and son or daughter can enjoy together. 

Lead instructor, Peter Bosma, will be guiding this retreat at Medomak Camp’s Retreat Center.  Peter offers ten years practicing and seven years teaching a plethora of outdoor skills.  As an outdoor educator, Peter has created and led programs in tracking, backpacking, camping, canoeing, primitive survival and an array of natural history outings. Peter has a deep love and respect for the outdoors and a knack for sharing it with others.

Medomak Camp and Retreat Center was established originally in 1904 as a summer camp for boys.  It’s current incarnation as a full season, secular, summer camp for families and adults, and retreat and conference center took place in 1994.  The camp and retreat center are accredited by the American Camp Association.  Medomak is located in the mid-coast region of Maine, in the village of Washington, Maine.

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