Yes, it’s the penultimate day.  And in that afternoon, all heck breaks loose – from Carnival, to Regatta, to Safari Night, to Campfire . . . woo-woo!

[What’s next?  Huh, huh?]

[Regatta warm-ups]

[Digesting lunch]

[The Biddies go for one last spin.]

[Maybe we can seek asylum at Osthoff?]

[An APB was subsequently posted . . .]

[But then they returned on their own – it may have been Happy Hour?]

[I had to admire their agility in getting out of that thing!]

[Well, someone has to keep an eye on the lifeguards?]

[The supervisor selects a box seat for Carnival.]

[It begins – each age group of kids competes in water Olympics before a packed throng, while proud parents wield cameras.]

[Katie’s group enters the fray.]

[It was a relay in which the handoff were an excessively-large man’s shirt and pants (I thought someone had raided my footlocker!) that had to be re-donned.]

[Run, Katie, run!!  I believe she caught him at the end by taking the inside (i.e., shallower) lane.  🙂  ]

[Older kids, you’re next!]

[It’s a relay . . .]

[You swim out to the raft . . .]

[Where you drink a Coke as fast as you can . . .]

[Sometimes all the Coke doesn’t make it all the way back to the dock in its new “container.”]

[Karina takes her Coke shot.]

[The canoe race.  Four people in each canoe.  At each whistle, all must exit the canoe, then get back in again, and resume paddling.]

[Do not do this without a note from your primary care giver!]

[The winners!]

[Katie’s group watches sailing practice.]

[Then comes the greased watermelon contest.  If you watched water polo in the Olympics, you get the idea here.  Oy, the humanity!]

[This was a NCer – the staff was younger and fitter than the campers.]

[Andre throws out another jump ball after a staffer score.]

[GOOOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLL!!!]

[Practice, practice, practice]

[Celebrate]

[Good-bye to the swimming area until next year.]

[Keeping an eye on the lifeguards, again.]

[OK, let’s get this regatta thing going?]

[Mount your sailboats!]

[I want the red and white one!]

[Yup, that one!]

[Chris and Katie team up.]

[So, cheer, cheer for the ole white and blue!]

[The yacht club claims front row seating.]

[Why yes, I do believe that is Thurston Howell III, Lovey, and Mary Ann!]

[Positioning begins . . .]

[ . . . and THEY’RE OFF!]

[Go Katie!]

[Go Chris!]

[First time campers, Jack and Phyllis, make their regatta debut (obviously).]

[Chris and Katie make their move.]

[Let’s tack back . . .]

[The experienced Team Van Kooten makes a move.]

[So, seen any good buoys lately?]

[Phyllis and Jack finding their sea legs.]

[. . . and away they go!]

[The younger Van Kootens paddle out to see how mom and dad are doing.  Incidentally, Caitlin now lives in Minneapolis and works in the IDS Tower.]

[Chris and Katie working hard to overcome a bout in the “doldrums.”]

[We’ll make it.]

[Rita checking on Chris and Katie’s progress.]

[Everybody got “hung up” in this windless area.]

[Once out, streak to the other side of the lake.]

[Tiffany and Brad are first to head for home.]

[Still keeping an eye on the lifeguards.]

[Stephen and Caitlin paddle for home.]

[And here come Mary and Rick.]

[And we have the winners!  🙂  ]

[Mary and Rick sailed in for 2nd.]

[The Return of the Lifeguard!]

[Grin and bear it! . . . ]

[But next time I want a speed boat!]

[Jack and Phyllis finish their first race.  They were from Clarksville, Tennessee, on the staff at Austin Peay University, with no connection to IU.  They just Googled a family vacation spot, with daughter Cheyenne, and discovered Brosius.  I mentioned their university has the most famous cheer in all of sport – back in the day when their star basketball player (may have led the country in scoring) was Fly Williams, the cheer would be “The Fly is Open, Let’s Go Peay!”]

[Thank you, Waterfront Staff!  🙂  ]

[Then it was time to go on safari, i.e., dress the part, have a “cool one.”]

[Roping up to be led into the bush . . .]

[DOM, a/k/a Thurston, and Cassie, head staffer.]

[DANGER ahead!]

[In the bush now.]

[The supervisor has always loved a good safari!]

[A wild cat – placated by offering a treat.]

[Jungle fowl – one bears a striking resemblance to Kailyn?]

[And tall giraffes . . .]

[We’d better caravan back to camp.]

[Ahhhh, made it!]

[The supervisor got her picture with Andre.]

[I got my picture with the supervisor.]

[Let the Par-Tay begin!]

[Where’s Will?]

[Where’s Sam?]

[Where’s Ollie?]

[Turns out, Kailyn has grandparents in Nashville, IN.]

[I could get used to this!]

[Katie fixes her hair  . . . I believe that’s what it’s called?]

[It’s time for last night . . . Campfire!]

[John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt . . .]

[Mr. Dale captures the action.]

Video of Katie’s group:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON3n0mYODgU 

[Three bumps on a log – this is the 34th campfire for the bumps on the right.]

[Four bumps on a log.]

[Indiana, O Indiana!]

[Here come the ‘skeeters!]

[Let’s get out of here!]

[The morning of departure – waterfront doesn’t look the same.]

[On the way out, staff is already putting the canoes away for the year.]

[The Wisconsin River on the way home – the drought has really affected the water level.]

[Home, sweet, home with our sad old elm.]

[Coming soon . . . more stuff!]