Life at the Bay

What an amazing holiday camp we had last week: 7 days = 7 Wonders of the World = AWESOMENESS! I took a stroll around the camp and saw happy children, crazy counselors and smiles all around. I, an office dweller - lathered completely with sun screen (I might have looked like a badly iced cake), armed with my cool shades and visor cap – dared to leave the airconditioned office and step into the wild. And it was amazing - the atmosphere was positively electric! I asked a few kids what their favourite Sugar Bay experience was, and the votes are in – the winner is... the Fire Show!!! Oh, don't worry, we told them not to try this at home... or at school... or next door. We were pretty clear about that. Hot topic! I must say that every single child mentioned how awesome it is to meet new people and make new friends. Aww, sweet. And that's me. Office dweller, past Transvaaler, smeared with a thick layer of sunscreen, signing out of cyber-world and jumping...

The Sun was out, the smiles were bright and the smell of sunscreen was in the air. Charlton Vos knew it was that time and they couldn't hold in  their excitement any more.... IT.... WAS......BEACH TIME!!!!! We sprinted towards the ocean like no one had ever done before. We couldn't wait for our toes to feel that cool salty water, we had never been this excited before. As the bubbly waves hit our bodies we couldn't help but laugh. We had such an exciting day that day, I don't think any of us will ever forget it. Keep smiling and take photos of those smiles :) Float.

This week we had Cambrige join us for four days . The Sugar Bay paparazzi couldn't leave these happy kids alone! No matter where they went or what they did, the Sugar Bay paparazzi could not stop capturing them having a great time. Who can blame the paparazzi for wanting to capture the incredibly photogenic learners from this wonderful school, as they enjoy sunny days on the beach.  Remember to be yourself, because an original is worth more than a copy. Float

Wow, this week has been amazing with Constantia Park! We have done so many amazing activities and made so many new memories. We especially took a lot of "under the pool" selfies . After all the underwater selfie practice, we learned that when you smile underwater, it's particularly harder to hold your breath! *Gasp* But, of course, we accepted the challenge and managed to do it. Once we got used to it, we couldn't keep the smiles off our faces. We are so sad to be seeing this amazing school leave us. At least we will always have these underwater selfies to remember our time together at Sugar Bay. Now go take a selfie under water =D Float

On Monday afternoon Sugar Bay was flooded with campers from Constantia Park. They traveled all the way from Pretoria to come and see what all their previous class mates had told them. The beach, the activities and to meet these crazy people with funny names they had heard so much about. Let me tell you, I love having 200+ campers at camp. From an outsider looking in, it must definitely look crazy, but as a counselor, it's a dream come true. Two hundred brand new faces that are going to change your life in just five days, and become another beautiful memory. The campers from Constantia definitely brought their energy to camp from the very first day. We divided the group into three sections and were running beach, land and adventure activities every day of the week. There were campers everywhere! Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side this week, with overcast clouds and a sprinkle of rain every now and then. However, this never stopped these tough ...

Shaka Zulu week has been training us to become patient and great warriors. Throughout the week, the male counselors have been trying to prove to us why they should be crowned Shaka Zulu, and the female counselors have been doing their best to convince us why they should be his number one wife.  We have had a great week keeping our theme alive, from warrior face painting to tribal dancing. This holiday week is definitly one for the books. We have had the great bunch of kids with us, and we are really enjoying their company. Here at camp we love to have fun, and we definitely did that this week. Pool swim was the best! We even welcomed back some old counselors. “For me, the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity.”  Float 

We went on a great adventure today with Enjabulweni and Sifundzani Primary schools, who are visiting Sugar Bay all the way from Botswana. It was a great day to learn about all the amazing ocean creatures, and to watch the counselors get splashed by dolphins.  There were many beautiful fish at the aquarium, but the one in the photo below was one of my favourite. How beautiful are the colours?!  There was this really cool tank that you could stick your head in, and it made you feel like you were in the tank!  A camera is a save button for the minds eye. Have a great weekend. Float

This week we had the lovely Northside school come to Sugar Bay all the way from Botswana.We started the week off having a great time at the beach and throughout the week we had an awsome Shark talk and dissected slimy lil fish. Today they have gone off to ushaka wet & wild. This week has been such an adventure! Having so much fun splishing and splashing in the ocean. Zinkwazi really does have a beautiful ocean.    Casino night at camp: We played all kinds of games and tried to win as many magic beans as possible. It was an epic night! Life is like a camera. Focus on what's important and you'll capture it perfectly. Peace Float

It's almost time to get out your best board shorts and bikinis, because yes, summer is almost here, which also means the best Sugar Bay adventures await your children! So go out and buy those new flip flops and, of course, lots of sun block, but most importantly make sure you book your children's summer adventure before it's too late! Here is a sneak peak of what you can expect during our upcoming December/ January holiday season: The 7 Wonders of the World Week (6-13 December) Campers will become globe trotters as they venture off to see the seven wonders of the world, right here at Sugar Bay! Every day, the activities and evening program will be themed around a different country, in which one of the seven wonders is found. Special events to look forward to: Camp Out – heading into the sugar cane where they will sleep under the stars! Beach Bon Fire – Seniors will have a Bon Fire on the beach and get to rel...

Sick of selfies, status updates and talking to your children while they stare down at their screens mid-conversation? Then get them to put away their gadgets, and rather join us for our adventurous summer camps for kids only! This October we will come together for a magical, off-the-grid week with children unplugging and having fun together in the sand, sea & under the stars. No phones, no texting and no digital tech! We're turning camp into a children's Zulu playground for our Shaka Zulu themed camp. Tell the kids to leave their phones at home, or check it in at the door, for a week of analog goodness in the company of children from all over the world! And if your kids aren't on holiday in October, then be sure to book for our popular summer camps these December/ January holidays. [Read more about December/ January] Okay, so here's the low down on the October holiday camp... Shaka Zulu Week (5 - 12 October) We all love our heritage, as Sou...

Hi Everyone! It's our birthday!!! And who doesn't like a good birthday party? Here at Sugarbay we are having a 10 day bash. Between all the awesome wet and crazy wild activities we have thrown in some birthday fun too. Our sand castle challenge this week was to create a birthday cake. Here is a photo of this weeks winner: Of course what party would be complete without cupcakes! Some of the girls got to show us their creative side by making some awesome colourful creations. Then they burned off the extra energy by doing wild barrel rolls in the pool! Well I'm off to go make a splash! Keep on smiling! Taz

Hi Everyone! This week is all about The Big bang Theory and science! We are having loads of fun seeing everyone dressed up in their geeky attire! After lathering on copious amounts of sunscreen our nerds headed out for some sunlight! There's no trace of hiding from any sun or adventure this week! Well I'm off to go and build a rocket. Keep on smiling! Taz

Hi everyone! There's candy everywhere! This week is beacon all sorts week and we are all enjoying a sugar rush. Of course here at sugar bay we like to play with our food! What better way to show your favourite counselor some love than to dunk them in goopy jelly! Luckily we have loads of activities to use up all the extra energy. Well I'm off to go hunt for a golden ticket in the tuck shop! Keep on smiling! Taz

Hi everyone! This week at Sugarbay we have counselor training week, which means new friends and wacky nicknames. Everyone is very excited to join the Sugarbay family and meet all future campers.This week is all about learning the ropes, literally! Some faced their fears by conquering the King Swing! Everyone learnt how to save a life with proper life guarding techniques and equipment as well as CPR training. Also test their stamina with a swim all the way to the back line in the ocean. It is so much fun learning new skills and be able to try out all the activities. Our brand new counselors are very excited to show future campers all the different ways to have the time of your life! Well I'm off to learn how to snorkel! Keep on smiling. Taz

Hi everyone! We are all very excited to have Khanyisa here at the bay to share some winter rays with us, all the way from Limpopo. Everyone is loving the beach and swimming in the sea, we even had some ladies dancing in the waves!  For the those who prefer to stay dry, there are always beach sports - and the kids here are rocking it. Even though these guys live far away from the beach, we did find some great surfers. So I'm running off to go join in on some land adventures now! Oh by the way, happy international hot dog day! I'm sure you know what was on the menu for lunch today. Keep on smiling Taz