Mary Meyer
9 October 2019
Ms. Lehmann
English 2-1B
At Bear Lake
Months ago, while our family was lingering in the kitchen, Gabe brought up some news. The 2019 Camp Hunt staff was having a reunion at Camp Hunt and were allowed to bring their families. I had never been to Bear Lake, and my heart seemed to leap. I had been waiting for this event, especially after a teacher told me how beautiful the waters of that lake were, and now we were almost there.
As we reached the end of the canyon we had been following for over an hour, we turned a corner around a hill and saw the lake. I was left breathless with the sight, for in the gathering darkness, we could see most of the huge lake and the purple mountains on the far side.
“How big is the lake?” I asked.
“It’s about 52 miles around, eight miles wide, and 20 miles long,” Abe replied.
I couldn’t really see the eight miles across. The fact that he had worked at Camp Hunt before made me believe him, though.
After we got to camp, we set up, met some people there, and joined in a couple of activities with them before going to bed.
The next day, after seeing a breath-taking sunrise and a tour of camp by Abe and Gabe, we pulled some kayaks and a couple of canoes out of the boathouse. Dad, James, Abe, Gabe, and I got life jackets, paddles, and a kayak each and set out on the water. We went about a mile north, into Idaho, and then came back to the camp. During that trip, I noticed something. Off to one side, I saw a mysterious wave forming but I couldn't see what formed it. Not wanting to be the scaredy-cat of the group, I didn't see anything.
After we got back, we had lunch and then went back on the water (and in, this time). The water was cold, but I adjusted to it quickly and spent hours there. Gabe, even though he was the waterfront director at camp this last summer, could only stay in the water for a few minutes at a time before getting out. Since the lake bottom slopes slowly away, we had to be at least 100 feet out to be barely touching ground.While we were out swimming, I saw that mysterious wave in the water again. I was starting to get worried, but I still didn't say anything since I didn't want anyone else to worry.
During the hours we were swimming, we brought two paddle boards out so that when we were feeling tired or cold, we could get on the boards to rest and/or warm up. Since some other boys had some paddle boards, they were continuously ramming each other. One of the funniest moments was when Gabe brought a canoe out and Dad swamped it without rolling it (on purpose). It was funny to hear Gabe yelling and complaining as the cold water came over him. After the boat sank to the bottom, Dad helped Gabe bring it up and refloat it.
Later in the day, a group of us got together and decided to pull out the cat sailboat since the wind was good. It was well buried, so it took a lot of work for the five or six of us to get it up and over the other boats. Naturally, after we got it out the wind died down, so we waited until the wind picked back up. I saw the wave again, and pointed it out. Then, a beaver's head popped up! I was sad when we left the lake later on, but I know that I want to work there this summer, and it is an excellent lake to be on the waterfront for.
Personal Narrative Reflection
- Explain the process you went through to write this paper. Please be specific.
2. What qualifies this paper as a narrative? What are the requirements for this genre and how did you meet them?
A narrative has quotes, description, and a conflict. In this paper, I used some quotes, descriptions, and had a conflict.
3. What is one part of your story that you think turned out really well? What do you like about that part?
I think the conflict turned out well since it was made up, but it is a possibility. James did claim to see a beaver there while he was out exploring. However, the water is quite clear, so you can easily see items beneath the surface.