Waterfront

Waterfront

© Jim Perry 1950Our waterfront is a very popular part of camp. The Saco River is spectacularly unpolluted — the word ”pristine” comes to mind. It is also a protected waterway in both New Hampshire and Maine so its waters run clear and cool.

Our dock is attached to the bank via a railed walkway on © Jesse White 2011our side of the river, with an essentially private sandy beach on the other side. A float line demarks the downstream side of our swimming area. We have several canoes, as well as some masks, snorkels, and fins for campers to use.

The day begins with the Polar Bear Club taking a © Nancy F. Little 1998pre-breakfast dip. There is lifeguarded swimming from 2:30-5:00 every day except on Outing Day when there is often a day-long canoe trip or tubing trip down the river. Not to mention the Alice F. Vigerstad Memorial Old Lady Canoe Trip in which our elder women and their escorts are taken on a leisurely afternoon trip from camp down to the town beach where beach chairs, wine and cheese, and other snacks await them.

© FNCA 2013Campers are allowed to swim at other times in groups of three or more teens or adults with permission of a lifeguard or the Activities Director, and are allowed to take a canoe upstream during their free time under the same circumstances. It is also not unusual for a bit of fishing to be going on downstream from our swimming area now and again.

NEW photos on this page in recent months:
Title or Theme    Year Posted
"Late Afternoon at..." [2nd pic]      1995     11/11
"High Water During Camp"          2023     8/25
"Waterfront Closed"                      2023       8/25
"Spring Flood"                              2022       5/30
"Good Form on the Rope Swing"    1987       6/5

2020 2022 2023
2010 2011 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2000 2007 2008 2009
1993 1995 1998
1983 1986 1987
1972 1973
1960 1965
1950 1953 1956
1940's(?)
1937 early 1930s
1921

2023

"Waterfront Closed"

Due to massive rainfall during July and August, the river was a raging torrent during camp this year, so our waterfront was closed during the entire session.

"High Water During Camp"

2022

"Spring Flood"

This photo was taken May 1, 2022. It is where the ramp down to the Dock is during camp. The Spring snowmelt flood was very high this year. It overflowed the banks on the other side of the river and completely covered the entire field over there. This happens every few decades or so.

2020

"New Sandbar Formations at the Waterfront 6/26"

from the Woof Cabin porch

from the bank looking straight over where the Dock goes

from the bank looking below where the floatline goes

from the bank looking upstream

2019

"Polar Bear Swim from the Circle"

2018

"The New Ramp"

"Twilight"

2017

"Colors on the Dock"

"View from the Taft Cabin"

"Taking Out the Dock:
Ahhhhh, This is the Life!"

2016

"Putting in the Dock"

"SQUIRT!"

2015

"Water Circles"

"Sparks Girls Alligators"

"The Girls Off to Find Frogs"

"In the Shadows"

2014

"Papa Bear"

2013

"The Saco in May"

"Sierra Canoeing"

"Deane Says Hi"

Nothing Like Canoeing on a
Sunny Day in Maine"

2011

"Float Line"

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

"Dan Cook Ferrying McNaughtons"

"A Private Moment"

2010

"The View Is Better From Up Here"

"Busy Dock on a Hot Day"

"Frolicking"

"Water Ballet

"Happy Camper"

"More Than 40 Campers Are
In the Water Right Now!"

"Emily With Her Cool Waterproof Camera Case"

"Water Fight!"

"Some of the Girls"

"At the Rock"

"Who Is That Masked Man?"

"Who Is That Spectacled Man?"

2009

"The Saco in May"

This photo was taken at the League Memorial Day retreat.

"Owen's First Time Polar Bearing"

And he really wanted to go in, too!

"This is as Far as She Goes In Sometimes"

"Look at THAT!"

"Such Form! Such Grace"

"Warm Day - Full River"

2008

"Polar Bear Swim Opening Sunday
Before the Dock is In"

2007

"Waiting to Sing the Polar Bear Song"

2000

"Two Canoes"

1998

"Polar Bear Club Record!"

On middle weekend in 1998, camp was packed to the gills and it was quite warm that weekend, so we decided to try to set a Polar Bear Club record... and succeded grandly! That's Papa Bear(l) and Dan Dyer(r) on the Dock with 30 in the water so far out of a total of an all-time high of 41 Polar Bears that took the plunge that morning! The day's Polar Bear Quotient --- despite the high temperature --- an amazingly low 0.87!

1995

"Late Afternoon at the Dock"

"Upstream at Twilight"

"Canoeing Downstream"

1993

1987

"Good Form on the Rope Swing"

1986

"Birch Trees and Railings"

1983

"8/13/83"

1973

"Our Lifeguard"

Debbie Sjostedt (now Debbie Cook) was one of our lifeguards for a good decade back then. Later, she became a Religion Class Teacher, then Camp Director, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for decades.

"Ray Guiu Showing How It's Done"

1972

"Jesse, Cammy, and Cindy at the Rope Swing"

"Klara Shields on the Dock"

1965

"Heading Down to the River"

r to l: Alicia, Stuart, Sarah, and Lois Dole

1960

"High Water"

Notice that the float line not only goes across the river, but goes upstream, too. This was to demark the shallow water from the deeper. Non-swimmers weren't allowed to cross that upstream line into the deeper water.

1956

"Tina Paddling in the Bow"

Fred Perry on the Dock, Nancy Perry in the water, Tina Guiu paddling in the bow.

1953

Swimming in the Saco River has always been nice on a hot day!

1950

"WOW!"

That's John Perry diving off the diving board with Joan Flynn on his back. After that (l to r), it's George Dole, Cal ?, Doug Daniels, Dave ?, Phil Lawrence, and Gretchen ?.

sometime in the
1940s

"Flame Boys Canoeing"

That's Dave Alden in the stern and Joe Flynn second from the front.

1937

"The Rapids"

early 1930s

"The Waterfront in the Early Years"

1921

"The Doles Canoeing on the Saco"

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