Life at Camp Nor'wester has a specific rhythm.

Throughout each session, that routine is punctuated by a handful of Special Days. These traditions bring the entire community together to celebrate creativity, leadership, friendship, and the joy of camp. Each has its own traditions and history.

Since Camp Nor'wester began as San Juan International Camp for Boys in 1935, welcoming people from different backgrounds and cultures has been part of who we are. Over 90 years later, that commitment continues. Each summer, international staff members travel from around the world to live, work, and grow alongside campers and staff on Johns Island.

Four weeks ago, campers stepped off the boat carrying duffels, sleeping bags, and varying degrees of excitement and anxiety. Some bounded up the dock toward a place they already called home. Others arrived wondering what it would feel like to spend a month on an island with people they had never met.

By the time they stepped back onto the boat yesterday, much had changed.

Visitors’ Day is here and whether you’re joining us on Johns or eagerly awaiting your campers’ return in a week, families are bound to hear many stories featuring all sorts of Camp Nor’wester lingo. The goal of this blog post is to give you a crash course in some of the terms you might hear thrown around by campers, staff, and alumni.

When people think about camp, they often picture sailing around the islands, climbing to the top of the wall, tie-dying in the Craftshop, hiking through the woods, or singing around the campfire. Those experiences are certainly part of Camp Nor'wester, but some of the most important things campers learn aren't listed anywhere on the daily schedule.

They're woven into everyday life.

At Nor'wester, every meal, activity, trip, and conversation is an opportunity to practice skills that will serve campers long after summer ends.

At Camp Nor’wester, campers get the chance to step into a different rhythm. On Johns Island, the focus shifts from notifications and feeds to the people and places right in front of them. Connection happens during meals at the Lodge, while laughing with unit mates, cheering each other on during activities, exploring the island, and singing together after a campfire, and in all the quiet moments in between.

Staff Training is a time for our team to learn, grow, build community, and prepare for the responsibility of creating a safe, welcoming, and meaningful summer experience for every camper. It takes a lot of effort to get camp ready, not only through setting up tents, organizing program areas, preparing supplies, and bringing the property back to life after the off-season, but also through the thoughtful preparation that happens before staff ever meet campers.

Packing for camp can feel a little like preparing for an expedition, a sleepover, and a scavenger hunt all at once. Whether you’re a first-time camper, a returning camper, or a staff member preparing for a full summer on Johns Island, the good news is this: you do not need to pack perfectly.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to reaffirm a responsibility that sits at the heart of everything we do at Camp Nor’wester: keeping young people safe.

At Camp Nor’wester, safety is not a single policy or checklist. It is a culture that is built intentionally, practiced daily, and reinforced through every layer of our program.

At Camp Nor'wester, volunteering is never just about checking off a to-do list.

No matter the role, every volunteer helps strengthen camp; on top of the physical tasks they help preserve something less tangible: the feeling of community that makes Nor’wester feel like home.

At Camp Nor’wester, campers step into a world of hands-on discovery, outdoor skills, creativity, and shared traditions.

This Nor’wester tradition is celebrated toward the beginning of the session. It’s the first all-camp event. After units have spent several days getting to know one another, Island Fair Day is an opportunity to connect with campers from across the island, engage in friendly competition, and shake up camp routine.

First Session has come to a close. How did that happen?!? Part of the magic of camp is that it exists in its own time. The sessions fly by, yet it feels like you’ve been on island forever. Each moment, each interaction, and each event holds more meaning. Friendships you make might only be a few weeks old, but they can have the weight of a lifetime.

Our first session campers arrived just over a week ago and camp programming is in full swing! Campers across the island are bonding with friends old and new, participating in exciting activities, and even performing at the opening campfire.

Summer 2025 is here and so is the 2025 blog!

You may have heard that this summer marks 25 years of Camp Nor’wester being able to call Johns Island home. While many older alumni think of Johns Island as the “new” camp location, more than a quarter of  Nor’wester’s almost 90-year history has been spent here. Alumni who were young staff members in the early Johns era are now parents sending their kids to camp. 

Walking around Johns Island last night, you would have found Camp unusually quiet; no campfires in units, no whispered conversations in tents, no outhouse doors slamming, just a blanket of bright stars and the sound of waves. Where are all the campers? They are out on overnights!

Despite years of working at Nor'wester and other camps, when I picture mealtime at a summer camp, I picture the sloppy joe mess hall scene in the Mary-Kate and Ashley classic "It Takes Two." While meals at Camp Nor'wester can contain a certain energy, the unbridled chaos represented in summer camp movies is not our reality. 

As the sun sets over the waters of the Puget Sound, a buzz of excitement fills the air at Camp Nor’wester. The moment our campers have been eagerly anticipating has arrived—the first night of a new session!

As the sun set on the final night of First Session, there was a whirlwind of emotions. From the thrill of conquering challenges together to the laughter echoing through the woods, each moment has woven itself into the fabric of unforgettable memories. Those memories are cemented by the final days of camp, occupied by the Olympic Games, Salmon Bake, Art Night, a final Chapel, Banquet, Packing Day, and the All-Camp Dance.