News Archive

Prep House River Rafting Trip

Getting a rush on the rapids
Gently stretching their comfort zones, Shawnigan Prep School students marked the second week of school by embarking on a wilderness river rafting expedition.
 
Fifteen Prep students and six staff – Ms. Yang, Mrs. Russell, Ms. Robb, Mr. Nunweiler, Mrs. Ketch, and bus driver, Mr. Switzer – headed out on September 17 for the three-day experiential and team-building trip to the Thompson River, a tributary of the Fraser River boasting more than two dozen Class III rapids.
 
The fun began after a three-hour drive to the village of Lytton and Jade Springs campsite, situated above the Thompson River Valley, one of the hottest regions in Canada and home to wild bighorn sheep, black bears, and bald eagles.
 
Setting up tents and sleeping gear (courtesy of the School’s outdoor program), and sleeping outdoors were first-time experiences for many students.
 
“This was a good example of how some of the best learning and bonding takes place outside the classroom,” said Ms. Robb. “And it’s also important to ensure education remains fun since that's often when it's most impactful.”

Rafting operator Hyak Wilderness Adventures – owned by alumnus Logie McLagan '05 (Duxbury) – supplied volleyball nets, built campfires, and cooked meals (chicken, pork and rice, hot dogs, pumpkin pie, and a French toast breakfast) on a barbecue and camp stove.

Dressed in wetsuits, splash jackets, helmets, and life vests, students, staff, and guides boarded two boats, Wednesday, and cast off for a 2.5-hour trip down some of the region's major rapids. Students and guides got the motorized boat, with most staff and a guide relegated to the paddle raft!
 
And the rafting experience? Picture tranquility punctuated by delighted screams, sunshine alternating with soakings, bouts of frantic paddling, and lots of laughter and high-fives.

Weary rafters then tottered back to the Hyak van, ate a quick lunch, and (in marked contrast to their wilderness experience) headed to Vancouver for a rest and some quick mall shopping, making it back to school in time for Thursday’s dinner.

Note: The Shawnigan Preparatory Program, or “Prep,” is an academic curriculum designed to prepare international students for a thriving career at the School and beyond, with a focus on English language acquisition and confidence building. This year, Prep students hail from Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
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We acknowledge with respect the Coast Salish Peoples on whose traditional lands and waterways we live, learn and play. We are grateful for the opportunity to share in this beautiful region, and we aspire to healthy and respectful relationships with those who have lived on and cared for these lands for millennia.