It was a triple-play of a day at Skylemar:  an energizing morning, a fiercely competitive afternoon, and a chivalrous evening.

At 6 AM, lots of our neighbors were watching.  It’s exciting to see Trickey Pond filled with Polar Bears.  There were 67 of them from Bunks 1-15, plus another 41 staff members who made it possible for these Polar Bears to safely swim across the lake.

The “herd” was divided into 14 groups, each with a lifeguard, kayaker and adult swimmer.  They put on their life jackets and jumped right in.  It’s a half-mile distance, and a huge sense of accomplishment.

The destination is Bunk 71, a cabin owned by a wonderful Skylemar family.  As each group proudly arrived and climbed out of the refreshing water, they were greeted with high fives and a yummy donut.  Motorboat rides back and it was time for breakfast, Inspection, activity periods, lunch, Rest Hour…

And then….

Bacon Fest 2026 all afternoon!  It’s a super fun 10U “Steal the Bacon” tournament played right here on our Hejduk Field.  A number of other camps participate, and it’s something that many look forward to every year.

What is “Steal the Bacon” (or STB as those in-the-know would say)?  Best way to find out is to ask the expert – your son.  Basically, opponents stand in a line facing each other, with a tennis ball in the middle.  That’s the bacon.  Each player gets a number, and when the Ref calls yours, opponents run out and both try to steal the bacon without being tagged.

To be clear – this is a highly competitive event taken very seriously by every player, ref, coach and fan.  Kinda like the Super Bowl, World Series and World Cup combined.  We play with heart and strength, and give it our all.  So the moment when SKYLEMAR “brought home the bacon” (aka Tourney Champion), of course they dumped the water jug on the coaches.  Congratulations to us!

Power shower for every player because…

Brother/Sister dinner tonight!  This was one of several evenings when sisters who attend nearby camps come to visit.  More will come tomorrow, as well as later in the week.  The siblings share a meal together, play Pickleball, hang out and then it’s time to go.  It’s a beautiful thing to have girls at Skylemar!