 |
Portage stories
The lingo
A crash course on some common Boundary Water terms
Gunwale (pronounced “gunnel”) up: Out on the lake, this is the phrase used for canoes to gather together for a little meeting— or a handful of GORP (Good Ol’ Raisins and Peanuts).
Sierra cup: stainless steel cup/bowl/plate used at every meal (often multiple times, as it’s your one dish)
Duluth pack: sturdy canvas bag used to haul personal and group gear
Rod: unit used to measure portage trails (one rod = 16 1/2 feet)
Snapshots
Key moments on the trip
Taking the wrong portage trail and having to do the whole thing all over again
Discovering one morning that rotten meat juice had leaked onto the rest of the food
Cliff jumping
Seeing a “double sky”—viewing the stars both in the sky and reflected on the lake
|
Reprinted from the fall 2006 Classic.
As students paddled their canoes across Moose Lake, 16 years of dreaming became reality for Dave Nonnemacher, Northwestern’s director of service learning.
Nonnemacher had long desired to take incoming freshmen to one of his favorite places on earth—the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota. But this wasn’t just a rustic vacation—it was an invitation to begin college in an unusual way by participating in a six-day experiential learning program called Portage: The Journey Begins.
Named for a trail connecting two bodies of water, the Portage program was created to provide a transition from high school to college for a small group of students. One objective of the trip was to build community among the eight freshmen who signed up and the six upperclassmen who served as peer leaders. Another goal was to provide opportunities for the freshmen to process leaving home as they began a new stage in their lives.
The freshmen arrived on campus Aug. 12, went through a brief orientation, and woke up the next day at 4 a.m. to head for the Boundary Waters. That’s when the journey began ...
First strokes
The larger group divided in two, taking off on different routes for the next few days. The trip began with a challenge from nature: It rained all day. “If I have any advice for canoeing in the rain,” says freshman participant Bobbie Lydick, “it would be to buy a good set of rain gear, not the $7 special.” Despite sitting in wet clothes in wet canoes, the participants started out with energy and an appreciation for the beauty around them.
Stormy seas
“As we started on our journey, everything seemed perfect. We followed the south shoreline with the map as our guide. The wind was at our backs, and life on the water seemed easy. But we soon found out we were lost; we had gotten completely turned around. We headed north to the portage once we oriented ourselves, but our speed was cut in half in an instant. “We were now paddling into the wind, and whitecaps struck our boat with a hurling force. We said nothing but paddled on knowing we could rest once we got to our destination. My arms started to hurt and I wanted to stop, but I knew that wasn’t an option.” —Bobbie
Day by day
“We set off in our canoes, wandered about in the vast lakes and rivers, got lost (thanks to David Jones’ masterful orienteering) and finally found a campsite … I can’t wait for tomorrow. We’re gonna canoe some more, portage some more and definitely see more of this utterly amazing display of God’s beauty, power and glory.” —Taylor Mugge
All over the map
The freshmen were responsible for navigating the lakes. After an introductory lesson using compasses and laminated maps, the students took turns each day keeping (or trying to keep) the group on course. When a wrong turn was made, leaders allowed it to happen—recognizing that part of experiential learning means figuring some things out on your own. “They were teachable moments,” Nonnemacher says. “It was an opportunity for us to ask, ‘How does that translate to getting through your first semester of college?’”
Making camp
“Today God gave me an even greater sense of adventure. After canoeing for the better part of the morning, we found this sweet island with the best campsite we’ve seen yet. It’s tucked into a bay on the north shore of the west arm of Knife Lake, about half a mile from Canada.” —Taylor
Class is out
Many experiential learning trips, such as this one, use the outdoors as a teaching tool. “Canoeing is great for teamwork,” Nonnemacher says. “It’s the best lesson on how to work together.”
“This trip taught me several skills that will be useful for college and the rest of my life. I’m not talking about how to portage a canoe 180 rods, how to dig a sump hole, or how to perform a proper J-stroke, although these skills are important. I’m talking about leadership, teamwork and humility.
“On the trip, I was told to navigate to our next destination, with nothing but a map and compass. The hard part wasn’t trying to discover our location by finding landmarks, it was leading a group of people who are depending on you to take them to the next campsite, when you may not be sure of the direction you need to go.” —Jordan Gowing
Coming home
After five days on the lake, the two groups were reunited for the drive back to Orange City. Halfway home, they stopped at a rest area near Minneapolis to have a final debriefing session. “We talked about everyone’s individual experience and what they took away from this journey,” says freshman Ryan Dembeck. “The main thing I gathered from that time was the importance of ongoing reflection. This journey stretched me in all aspects of life.”
“Through this journey I have been taught to keep my eyes open and my heart ready to be changed. I have been taught to carry my own load and help those around me—when to ask for help and when not to. I have been taught to search for what God has to say through the journey.” —Bobbie
|
|
|
|
 Admissions |
|
|
|
|
|
