Big Adventures In British Columbia
June 13, 2025
Greetings from beautiful British Columbia! BCO 1 “Eh!” (get it? Because Canadians say “eh” at the end of their questions!) is having a fantastic time exploring new parts of the world. We hit the ground running after picking up your kids from Vancouver International Airport, and they have been down for anything, whether that be hanging out at the campsite or getting out of their comfort zones rappelling down beautiful waterfalls. We are so excited to fill you guys in on all of the fun we’ve had!
Ben, Lucy, and Myers eagerly waited for our new family to arrive at the airport. Immediately, we were greeted by the biggest smiles and best attitudes. We had a blast playing classic airport games like Wavelength, and after getting to know each other on our Crazy Creeks in baggage claim, 11 out of 15 BCO 1A members hit the road to the beautiful Rolley Lake Campground. Upon arrival, the kids blew us away with how quickly they set up their tents and got comfortable. The afternoon was jam packed with spike ball, card games, and exploring the surrounding greenery and lake. While Lucy and Myers got most of the group settled, Ben picked up Russell, Dallas, and Josh from their delayed flight, where they wowed us by efficiently problem-solving to find each other and a temporarily lost bag. We’ll be sure to defer any logistical questions to those 3 from now on! We ended the first night with some delicious pizza and a great first Moonup, where question topics ranged from ideal B+ superpower to our goals for the summer. If you’re curious, Max had the best answer for a B+ superpower (being ambidextrous).
Day 2 started off strong with donuts from Tim Horton’s, a Canadian staple. The kids devoured these on the way to our first activity: canyoning in Cascade Falls! We spent the day rappelling down stunning waterfalls, swimming around in the ice cold water while wearing our wetsuits, and cheering each other on as we ventured outside of our comfort zones. We all loved learning new slang from Luke, our guide from New Zealand. Feel free to ask us what a “stick up” is when we incorporate it into our daily lingo back home! Later that evening, we swam in the lake and played beach football while Ben and Lucy began a strict Spikeball curriculum. Despite their absolute dominance, Stirling, Anne Harris, Dalton, and Emerson are proving to be formidable opponents. We fear an upset may be coming in the next few days!
Day 3 was full of family bonding as we traveled via van and ferry to the stunning Quadra Island. The morning began with Asher and Dalton, the Leaders of the Day (LODs), making delicious yogurt parfaits and helping the group pack up for our travels. Our first ferry offered stunning views of both water and mountains on the way to Vancouver Island. After the ferry, we had an amazing lunch at a local park on the beach. Emerson taught all of us how to play Shake and Pop, and Henry was introduced to buffalo-flavored Pretzel Chips, which he has not stopped requesting since his first bite. After getting some energy out, we took another ferry to Quadra Island, where our campsite had beach-front views! We made sure to take in the moment, then dug into some delicious spaghetti and garlic bread, prepared by Asher, who is quickly becoming BCO A’s lead chef!
Day 4 was our sea kayaking day! We rose with the sun, ate eggs and bacon, then drove over to Quadra Island Kayaks, where our LODs, Josh and Stirling, helped lead the group in a tough but rewarding kayak session around the harbor. We saw some of the gorgeous wildlife that Quadra Island has to offer, including some seals! After kayaking all afternoon, the group was surprised with an ice cream run. Dallas, in an interesting turn of events, opted in for Lifesaver gummies instead of ice cream, which may have ended up being just the fuel he needed to excel in “Fastaball,” a new game created by the boys. If we’re being honest, the jury is still out on some of the rules, but Russell hit a crazy dunk that must be applauded. If only he could be in two places at once, or he could’ve shown off his impressive sports photography skills we’ve heard so much about. We’ll make sure to check out his pictures when we go rock climbing! For dinner that night, Josh and Asher made delicious burgers and fries for the group.
Today we’ve been on the go, starting our day with M&M pancakes and a gorgeous hike of the Chinese Mountain Loop, led by Max and Stirling (our LODs). We all soaked in the gorgeous panoramic views of Quadra Island, and Taylor had all of us laughing when she repeatedly referred to ziplining and cliff jumping as “cliff lining.” Honestly, we like how that sounds better anyway. After a full afternoon we finished our lovely hike and drove over to our Campground, where Rowan introduced us to “Voccer,” a combination of soccer and volleyball. Looks like Fastaball has some competition! We ended our night with homemade pizza from the boys, as well as a special poetic serenade led by Henry. We can’t wait to share more from this incredible group and our adventures!
– Lucy, Ben, and Myers
Taylor:
Hi mom and dad I miss you guys so much and maverick and Ella. I’m having so much fun and I’m making lots of memories. Also happy Father’s Day dad I hope you have a great day. I can’t wait to see you guys!!!!!
Stirling:
Hi mom, dad, and biscuit I miss yall so much and I’m having so much fun. I got to see Rhett today. Love y’all!
Emerson:
Hi mom and dad I love y’all and miss yall tell Tatom and Connor I miss them see you soon!! I am making so many friends and I am having the best time. And tell mom that we are listening to Billy strings. Peace out LOVE YOU!!!
Rowan:
Hi mom and dad! I am having the best time and I am making so many new friends and memories. I miss y’all so much! Love you guys and happy Father’s Day!
Anne Harris:
Hey guys! I am having such a good time here. I’ve made new friends and had such a good time making new memories. Tell William and Walker I miss them and can’t wait to see them. Happy Father’s Day!
Dalton:
hey mom and dad I’m having sooo much fun and it reallyyyy pretty here!!! I miss you guys so much and love you so much and can’t wait to see you!! Happy Father’s Day!! Tell Elo I love her so much and can’t wait to see her!! Write pepper a letter and say that I say hi and I miss her! Love you byeee
Henry
Hi mom and dad!! I am having such a good time and I have made a lot of friends. We have so far gone canyoning, sea kayaking, and rock climbing. I can’t wait to see you guys and celebrate Birdie!! Also happy Father’s Day dad!! I love you so much and will celebrate it more when I get home. Love y’all!!
Russell
Hi happy Father’s Day, I love you all! I’m having a lot of fun and stuff bye bye!
Dallas
Hi mom and dad! I’m having a great time and will most likely come back next year. This has been a fun time and I hope dad did good in big rock and will have a happy Father’s Day. I love y’all lots and will see y’all in a couple days. Love you bye!
Max
Hi mom and dad. I have had a lot of fun on the Moondance trip. Happy Father’s Day dad! I hop u have a great day. I love u both so much. I can’t wait to see u again.
Asher
Hey mom and dad. I’m having a great time at Moondance and we are doing great activities. I’m currently looking for shoes for rock climbing and my big feet. I’m nervous but it’ll be fun. Happy Father’s Day. Have fun at Bakers Bay!
Josh
Hey mom and dad I am having a lot of fun and I have been cooking everyday and I love it. When I come back we should get a blackstone and a Coleman grill with propane bc I have been using that well. happy Father’s Day.
Safe Arrival!
June 9, 2025
Hi British Columbia Families!
We heard from our leaders that the group has landed safely in Vancouver! The trip is off to a great start, and we are so excited to hear more stories as they begin their adventure.
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
