Who went to YMCA Camp Canoy (Lusby, Calvert County)? (North Beach: appointed, construction) - Maryland (MD) - City-Data Forum

P47P47 · 08-09-2014, 07:30 AM

Anybody go to YMCA Camp Canoy?

I was there in 1966. I liked it pretty well, except for being forced to eat food I detested (beets, in particular) and all of the "initiation" baloney. It was really interesting to walk along Calvert cliffs (where you can't go now) and pick up fossils. I never found any shark teeth, but got some petrified clams and other interesting fossils.

I remember that for evening entertainment, one night they had a "CIT (Councilor In Training) Show", where the teen-age CIT's did some comedy skits, and a few of them had a band that wasn't bad (only tune I remember was "Gloria"); and another night was the "Councilor Show", where the adult Councilors just came out and fooled around. They had clearly put no thought into what they were going to do.

I think the camp lasted one more year until it was closed for the construction of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Reactor.

MidValleyDad · 08-09-2014, 11:46 AM

I went there a couple years. The first one was before they built the pool and all swimming was in the bay. I think it was 1963 the next year the pool was finished. I remember the jellyfish in the bay. we would be canoeing and there would be whole rafts of them.

I was actually able to drive through the old camp about 20 years ago. My son and a few class mates were getting a tour of the power plant and the person giving the tour drove us through the camp. part of it was being used as a recreation area for the folks who worked at the powerplant. The pool was still there and in good shape as was the dining hall.

P47P47 · 08-09-2014, 12:24 PM

Very cool that you were able to take that drive. It's good that some part of the camp went to a practical use rather than just being demolished. It was about that time that a friend of mine and I drove down to Calvert Cliffs Park. I was surprised at how far you have to walk to get from the parking area to the shore, and very disappointed that you can no longer walk along the cliffs. People were wading in the water with screens to find fossils and shark teeth. I had spent two weeks at Camp Canoy and spent a lot of my spare time at the cliffs. Never found a shark tooth then, but just walking casually on the shore that time, I happened to look down at the sand and there one was.

North Beach Person · 08-09-2014, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by P47P47

Very cool that you were able to take that drive. It's good that some part of the camp went to a practical use rather than just being demolished. It was about that time that a friend of mine and I drove down to Calvert Cliffs Park. I was surprised at how far you have to walk to get from the parking area to the shore, and very disappointed that you can no longer walk along the cliffs. People were wading in the water with screens to find fossils and shark teeth. I had spent two weeks at Camp Canoy and spent a lot of my spare time at the cliffs. Never found a shark tooth then, but just walking casually on the shore that time, I happened to look down at the sand and there one was.

That is a hike. The cliffs are unstable and collapsing. There have been entrapments and a young girl (12ish) was killed several years ago.

Not being able to find a shark's tooth in that part of the Bay is like not being able to get a "girlfriend" when you're on shore leave in the Philippines.

P47P47 · 08-09-2014, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

That is a hike. The cliffs are unstable and collapsing. There have been entrapments and a young girl (12ish) was killed several years ago.

Not being able to find a shark's tooth in that part of the Bay is like not being able to get a "girlfriend" when you're on shore leave in the Philippines.

The cliffs have always been unstable and collapsing. I don't recall any incidents at camp and I suppose they wouldn't have let us go there at will if there had been any in the past. I suppose they can't take that chance now. Still was rather disappointing to find that was the case, though.

Yeah, it was funny that I never spotted a shark tooth when I was there as a kid and had plenty of time to look for them, but got one when I happened to look down for a second thirty years later. The CIT who was in charge of my group had a cigar box with a whole bunch of shark teeth in it. Every size from the size of your fingernail to those about 3 inches long and 2 inches across.

TheArcheologist · 08-13-2014, 05:22 AM

I remember the camp well. It was the best summer I had as a kid. I even remember my counselor's name - Randy. He was a real man's man. He actually had an influence over me that affected my whole life. Ahhhh, what fond memories!

MidValleyDad · 08-13-2014, 06:19 AM

All this got me thinking. (Always a dangerous activity :-)) There were three levels of camps based on age. I seem to remember they were (from youngest to oldest) Cherokee Iroquois Sioux. Do I remember it right?

P47P47 · 08-13-2014, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MidValleyDad

There were three levels of camps based on age. I seem to remember they were (from youngest to oldest) Cherokee Iroquois Sioux. Do I remember it right?

Aka "Cherrytrees", "Iroqueer", and "Chicken Sioux".

I was a Cherokee (8 years old). We had to pick a "yell" from three choices. The one we chose (chosen for being the least annoying of the three), and the only one I remember, was "House keys, car keys, Cherokees!"

John Tobin · 10-08-2017, 10:43 AM

I went to camp canoy in 53 and 54. By far the best memory of my childhood. As one person mentioned, the counselors had and life long impact to the young campers. One I still remember to this day is Tom Luillian (sp?). I believe he went on to be a preacher. Wonderful guy. Also the war games where both sides were given flags for the HQ and Airport which were hidden and you were given an arm band, that when taken you were dead and had to go back to mess hall to get another. I remember being older when a pack of of about 10 younger kids pulled me down and took my arm band. Funny what we remember.....bug juice, jelly fish, shark teeth, having to cover yourself with soap before being let out of the cold shower and blue tailed skinks.

Ejkoby · 02-07-2018, 12:47 PM

The volunteers at the Patuxent Small Craft Guild of the Calvert Marine Museum are restoring two 25 foot Old Town Canoes used by boys attending either Camp Conoy or Camp Druid (also known as, Camp Mohawk), both in Calvert Count. We would like to hear from anyone with Camp Conoy or Camp Druid experience with the use of these Canoes. To get in touch with one of us directly, reply here or at [email]ejkoby@comcast.net[/email]