Camping at "Wente Scout Reservation" in Willits, CA

Wente (went-ay) is a very favorite camping tradition in the Ferguson family. We grew up camping here every summer since I was 3 years old. There are so many fun things available to do like: Sailing, rowboating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, hiking, horse-back riding, and they have a shot gun range, a rifle range (22's), and an archery range, they also put on a camp-wide campfire with fun entertainment. There is a trading post where you can buy snacks and fishing gear or whatever...a favorite to buy at the store was mint chocolate chip It's-it, Jolly Rancher stick candy, and large Otter Pops. The 80-acre lake is just beautiful and the whole area is quite peaceful. Here are some pictures of our little family's first time camping here. I haven't been camping here since I graduated from college and it was so fun to share this special place with my husband and daughter. My parents, my two brothers and their families and my family enjoyed this fabulous weekend together.


This is Camp Wente. This is a picture of the waterfront area with the sailing dock on the left (those are the masts with the sails wrapped around them), canoes on the racks in the middle and the swimming docks to the right. The lifeguard tower is in the middle. Our campsite "Wishbone Right" was just a little ways up a hill behind the lifeguard tower in the trees.


Shelbie is waiting while someone else uses the kid fishing pole to fish from the shore.


Now it is Shelbie's turn.


Grand Dad is fishing with his very cute grandkids! (personally I think Billy is the cutest of them all!!)


Here is a nother shot of fishing...this time Scott has joined in the fun.


I think the favorite activity of the whole place is enjoying the water. The weather was very pleasant and the water cooled us off nicely.


A boy found a garter snake and Shelbie was very excited to hold it. There were lots of small garter snakes and frogs found among the "cattails" during the weekend.


My dad and I went sailing for a little bit...this is not us, but we used that laser. We sailed the old "racing route" for good times sake. It was so fun to do that again!


Kayaking is relativly new to Wente and everyone seems to enjoy it. Shelbie fell asleep during this ride. It was very peaceful out there.


One morning Scott and I took Shelbie on a rowboat. She enjoyed hanging over the edge and touching the water as we went. Mornings and evenings are the most calm for rowing...if you want a workout you can row in the afternoon wind.


Scott enjoyed doing archery. He hadn't done it in a long time also, since Scout camp several years ago. We don't have pictures of Scott doing Shot gun or shooting the rifles at the rifle range but he enjoyed those as well. At the rifle range he shot all ten bullets in the bulls eye ten times! I think that was his favorite thing this weekend. What a shot!!!

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Everyone but my mom and I walked over to the archery range. The littlest kids were too scared to try to shoot the bows and arrows but they loved helping gather the arrows at the end.


Shelbie borrowed Aunt Erika's hat for a little bit...it made for a very cute picture!


Here we are gathered for breakfast at our table. This was a peaceful morning together. The other cousins woke up pretty early and they went out fishing. We'll catch up when they get back to go swimming.