The secret to packing for Keeners - Ian Brown

Packing efficiently for anything is difficult, especially a three-week sleepaway camp like Keeners. Fortunately, they provide a packing list for all incoming Keeners, but unfortunately it is very outdated and neglects to mention many Keener essentials. As a first-time Keener this year, here are a few helpful tips I’ve learned that you won’t find on the packing list:

• Multiple towels — Nowhere on the packing list are towels mentioned, but these are an absolute Keener essential. From showering to drying off after kayaking to having something to sit on when the bus seats are wet, you will need a towel every day. I brought one towel, but it would be more convenient to bring 2-3 towels.
• Nose plugs — No matter what your skill level is, you will get a lot of water up your nose while playboating. Whether you’re learning a new move on flatwater, practicing loops, or getting beat down in Phil’s, wear some nose plugs so you can focus more on your kayaking and less on how much water is getting up your nose. Plus, it helps keep you from getting sick from the river water.
• GoPro and hard drive/flash drive — While you experience some of the best playboating in the world on the Ottawa River, I guarantee you will want video of yourself kayaking. If you are fortunate enough to own a GoPro, definitely bring it; if not, there are a few Keener GoPros here for you to use. Either way, bring a hard drive or flash drive to store the footage on, because the microSD card in the GoPro will not have enough space to store all of the footage from your whole session here. Bring a computer to review the footage on if you want, or you can use the Keener computer here.

Also, some things you don’t actually need:

• Alarm clock — There is no need for an alarm clock, you will get woken up by an instructor every morning. Even if you do need to set an alarm you can use your phone or watch.
• Combination lock — I’m not even sure why the packing list says to bring a combination lock.
• Books — Actually, I would say to definitely bring a book for the travel to and from Canada. At Keeners, though, it is doubtful that you will have time to read simply because you will be having too much fun.
• T-shirts — You really only need to bring one t-shirt to Keeners because, as I found out when I got here, everyone receives two Keeners shirts and a hoodie that they must wear most of the time off the water.

I hope this can help any first-time Keeners getting ready for their first session!