Sunday, July 11, 2027-Friday, July 30, 2027 (starts/ends at Eagle’s Nest Camp)
For participants completing grades 7th through 11th grade in Spring 2027
Cost: $6,201
From the chocolate colored rivers of the South Carolina Piedmont to the blue green waves of the Atlantic Ocean, Hante Rivers & Reeds follows the Edisto River by canoe, spanning from the middle of the state to one of the most protected and beautiful coastal regions in the country. The river weaving through the landscape is paralleled by the study of weaving arts with natural fibers. While engaging with water travel, ecological study, and creative pursuits, the perspectives of the peoples who have inhabited the Lowcountry region will also be explored, including the Gullah Geechee People.
Putting on the river at Aiken State Park, participants will become proficient paddlers of their only vehicle – the canoe – until they reach Edisto State Park on the coast. Traversing over 200 miles, this unique landscape will change dramatically, shifting from inland fresh water to transitioning tidal influences and estuaries, with the time to explore magical habitats of marine life and seabirds.
How often do you get to go to Camp and head to the beach? This trip creates an opportunity for a variety of experiences, while still returning to campus in time for Final Banquet.
Register for Hante rivers & reeds
Register and pay online securely using CampDoc. Once you complete the initial application in CampDoc, you will receive an email from CampDoc. Please follow the link and instructions in the CampDoc email to complete your participant’s Camp Application and Parent/Guardian Questionnaire as well as have your participant complete the online Participant Questionnaire by December 30th to be considered for a Hante Adventure. After December 30th, applications are considered on a rolling basis if spots are still available. Your participant’s application is not complete for the selected program until you receive an email from the Camp Registrar at molly@enf.org confirming receipt of your participant’s full application.
REGISTRATION OPENS AUGUST 1ST
Trip Highlights
- Appreciate the diverse landscape of nearly the entire state, as you travel from the hilly Piedmont to the coast.
- Spend weeks exploring the biodiverse ecosystems of the Edisto River, actively learning from the relationships and practices one can only find through paddling these coastal waters.
- Sharpen leadership skills and form long lasting bonds through traveling as a group
- Practice outdoor skills such as expeditionary canoeing, campcraft, navigation, backcountry cooking and more!
- Develop competence in creative endeavors such as basket weaving using natural fibers.
Rivers & Reeds Tentative Itinerary
- July 11-13: Arrive at Camp and prepare for the trip. Welcome! These first three days will be full of nerves and excitement: you will arrive on Opening Day along with the rest of Camp, take part in similar communal activities as a Hante group while also busily organizing your gear and food, and you will wrap up your preparation in the comfort of the Sun Lodge, the original accommodations of Hante Adventures
- July 14: Depart Camp into South Carolina, arriving at Aiken State Park to set up for your 12-day paddle. The journey begins! The group will depart Camp for Aiken State Park to spend the first night together camping near the put-in on the Edisto. This day will be lots of first-time learnings, such as paddling and crafting basics, learning of systems and group norms, and establishing a routine.
- July 15-25: Canoe paddling and fiber weaving across the Edisto River. Challenged yet awed by both resilience and beauty of a shared group experience, the group paddles almost 200 miles down the Edisto towards the coast. During this journey, participants will camp along the river’s edge, learn techniques in using natural fibers to create woven structures and useful objects, and practice plant and animal identification to develop a deeper understanding of the biodiverse ecosystems they are traveling across. Navigation, communication, and teamwork will be integral to personal and group development during this intentional time spent living and learning together within community. Evenings will be spent camping under the stars, preparing delicious food, debriefing the day’s adventures, practicing leadership skills, and enjoying time with one another. By the time you arrive at the coats, you will develop an understanding about the importance of land history, costal ecology, and a respect for where you are and for those who have been here before you.
- July 26: Completion of the Edisto River paddle into the Atlantic Ocean. Finish the paddle and arrive at scenic Edisto Beach State Park! After a fulfilling multi-day exertion out on the water, this day will be flexible to group and personal needs to adequately settle into a final night together amongst the seabirds and marshes of the Lowcountry coast. Expect time at the beach, coastal exploration, and final reflection before your travels tomorrow.
- July 27-30: Return to Camp, de-issue gear and debrief the trip, enjoy Final Banquet and depart on Closing Day. You will spend a couple more days engaged with both the Camp closing activities and your own group’s wrap up of the three week long experience, learning from what you all have done and what you can take with you into the future. The combination of gifts from your canoeing journey and the special crescendo of Final Banquet will be sure to instill gratitude, connection, and confidence for the new life experiences that lie ahead.
Packing List
Coming soon…
To apply for a Hante Adventure:
All Hante participants and their caregivers must complete a Parent/Guardian Questionnaire in CampDoc and a Participant Questionnaire before being considered for acceptance. (*) Select Hantes have an application deadline of November 15th and are not eligible for the Early Bird Discount. Rolling admittance pending availability after November 15th for (*)Hantes.
“I just want to say ‘thank you’ for what you and Eagle’s Nest give to Evan. The letter we received from Evan was amazing. You simply can not imagine how great it feels to hear him tell me how he has grown emotionally and then list specific skills that have strengthened him physically. He said he feels so proud of himself and what he has accomplished. He described how he found each of his Hante instructors helpful to him in different ways. I wanted to say how grateful I am to the Eagle’s Nest staff for the gift you are to Evan.”
To learn more about what is gained on a Hante Adventure, visit our Vision and Curriculum page:
REGISTRATION OPENS AUGUST 1ST
All Hante Adventures, and Junior Counselor participants and their parents or guardians must complete all questionnaires before being considered for the program. Questionnaires are available with registration on CampDoc.
Questions about your application or having trouble getting started? Please email us at register@enf.org or call us at 336-761-1040.