The Serenity of Healing Waters

The warm spring sun sporadically shared its warmth between the ever increasing clouds.  A light breeze drifted through the trees just strong enough to keep the black flies at bay.  I sat there on the front porch of the Camp Serenity visitors center nervous and excited for the adventure that was soon to come. 

This trip had been planned for months and it was finally starting to unfold.  The plan was simple,  I wanted to share my love for the outdoors and fly fishing with someone else.  But with who?  That was the question.  The answer came to me one night as I restlessly laid in bed.  As a board member of the Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures I decided it should be a veteran.  Then the question of when and where came to mind.  I started to jot down some ideas until the obvious answer hit me, Camp Serenity.  The Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures(WWOA) has a camp set up just for veterans.  We could use camp as our home location and hit the waters in the surrounding area.  Once the plan was drafted I needed a veteran, so I reached out to one of our board members and he created a contest on our website.  While the time ticked away for the contest time to come to an end I spent hours looking over maps under the dim light of my desk lamp.  Finally the day had come to choose a winner.  With the click of a mouse a random name was selected.  Scott was his name and I couldn’t wait to call him and let him know he was the lucky winner.  After a few rings a gruff voice answered the phone.  I could tell he was cautious assuming it was another scam call on the line.  After congratulating him on being selected I rolled out the plan and he became quite excited.  The conversation quickly turned to fly fishing and our mutual love for the sport.  Scott told me how he was also a participant and volunteer for Project Healing Waters, an organization whose mission is to  guide veterans in-need to recovery through fly fishing, mentoring, and friendship.  I’d had some communications with their regional representative before so after our phone call I immediately sent him an email.  John the rep quickly replied and asked if he could swing by camp while we were there and take a look around.  I thought to myself, wow, what an opportunity to show off what the WWOA had to offer and maybe someday join forces for a Project Healing Waters event at WWOA’s Camp Serenity.  But first,  I had to make this fishing weekend a success.  The sound of tires rolling across the gravel driveway snapped me out of my daze.  When the car came to a stop I greeted Scott with a big “Welcome to Camp Serenity”. Scott and I hit it off like we had been friends for years.  We talked about the camp, the area, and, of course, fishing while we waited for John to arrive.  Shortly after John pulled in and I finally got to meet the gentleman I had been communicating with over email for quite some time.  Again, meeting John was like talking to someone I’d known for years.  After a quick tour of our visitors center we drove down the dirt road back to the campground.  We stopped in front of the 5 small cabins we offer. 

The wooden door creaked as I slowly swung it open.  The smell of rough cut lumber that the cabin was made from  filled the air.  The bunk beds, tables, and chairs still sat there quietly after a long winter's nap.   We were the first customers of the year and everything was just how it had been left before Mother Nature brought us a long cold winter.  I seized the opportunity to share some gifts with Scott.  The WWOA had purchased a fly fishing kit, my friends and I had filled a fly box with a large assortment of flies, and I donated a hat from my newly created fly fishing guide service. 

With a sincere thank you from Scott we continued to tour the property.  I showed them each cabin, our screen room, and our lodge.  Many pictures were taken and a lot of conversation was had about using this location for many other veteran events. After being thoroughly impressed with what the WWOA had to offer John had an unexpected question for me.  He asked if I would be a volunteer for Project Healing Waters. I told him it would be an honor to do that for our veterans.  He gave me a volunteer pin, hat, and a few stickers.  As John pulled out of the driveway Scott and I finished up unpacking our things and got ready for the weekend ahead.  With a few hours of daylight left and a rumble in our bellies we grabbed a couple of sandwiches and hit the road.  Our biggest adversary of the weekend was going to be the weather.  At the beginning of the week it looked very promising however as the days passed it was looking more and more grim but we were determined to make it work one way or another.  About 20 minutes down the road we came to our first spot.  We rigged up his rod and hit the water. 

The tea stain colored water crashed over the large rocks as the trees swayed in the breeze.  Dark clouds allowed a few hints of sunlight to penetrate as we stepped into the water.  Scott took a moment to admire the beauty that surrounded us.  I knew right away he was my kind of guy.  Anyone who takes a moment to connect to Mother Nature before taking their first cast is my kind of person.  Slowly he let out some line and began to swing his line.  Cast after cast his rhythm came in sync with the natural world that surrounded us. 

A gentle tug on the line let us know that fish were there. As we moved down the run we watched the water’s surface dimple with rising trout.  We worked our way around the rocks to the next run.  We made the decision to switch from a wet fly to a dry fly.   We watched as trout would come to the fly and swim away.  No matter what we put on we just couldn’t quite figure out what they were looking for.  As the cloud cover built up and the sun started to set we decided to call it a day and head back to camp.  Under the glow of a lantern light we sat and talked over dinner.  The sound of raindrops bouncing off the metal roof made for the perfect evening.  Conversation quickly changed from our afternoon on the water to life.  We discussed his time in uniform, war, and how fly fishing can help heal some of the unseen scars many veterans have, that the majority of people will never see. Night had fully taken over and our wonderful conversation continued about our families and how important connections to family and friends are when dealing with hard times.  As we prepared to settle into our cabins we both agreed that fly fishing has a healing power that is hard to explain unless you have experienced it.  It creates a special connection to nature that can’t be found in any other way.  As I crawled into my sleeping bag and the rain continued to fall I looked over the forecast for the next day one more time.  It was looking grim.  My hope was to get on some Adirondack ponds and find some brook trout but with a thunderstorm warning issued I needed to come up with a backup plan.  Morning came quickly and I found myself continuously refreshing the radar on my phone.  It wasn’t looking good for canoeing any ponds.  Over coffee and breakfast we came to the conclusion that we needed a backup plan.  We were going to be surrounded by thunderstorms all day and it wasn’t safe to be back in the woods on a pond.  So I gave Scott a few options to mull over as we got ready for the day.  With the truck packed up with our fishing gear and lunch we had one more cup of coffee before we headed out.  Scott looked around taking in the small campground.  He said to me “Ya know,  I wouldn’t care if we just sat here all day at camp and enjoyed it”.  I knew right there that this wasn’t about fishing for him, it was about getting outdoors and exploring new places.  His connection to  nature was what was really important to him.  We decided to try our luck near my own camp just in case the weather got bad and we needed to seek shelter.  I explained to him that the fishing can be challenging there as it is not a stocked area.  Any fish caught is wild and is naturally reproducing.  He liked the sound of that challenge.  The deceiving bright blue sky overhead gave us the opportunity to fish for a while. 

He gently let his fly drift down the current and around the rocks.  “Fish on” was the cry as I readied the net.  As it came closer I realized it was a shiner.  Not what we were looking for but at least we were on the board.  I quickly slid the silver sided beauty back into the water.  The blue skies quickly faded as thunder rolled over the mountains in the distance.  A fierce wind blew down the river and torrential rain hit quickly.  We immediately got off the water and headed into camp.  Stripping out of our waders and drying ourselves off we decided to have lunch.  As we sat at the old camp dining room table eating, Scott and I discussed the rod he had been using.  He had built it himself with Project Healing Waters.  When he told me that he really would like to catch his first Adirondack trout on it I knew I needed to find him one.  The rain continued to fall hard as we finished up our meal.  I restlessly pondered what our next step would be as we waited for any kind of break in the weather.  After about an hour I noticed a slight ray of sun coming through the camp window.  Quickly I cleaned up and said “here's our chance”.  We packed up and hit the road one more time.  With the clock ticking before the next storm hit, I decided to head back to where we were the day before.  All rigged up and ready to go we got back on the water.  I could feel the anxiety coursing through my veins as he started to cast his fly. 

Time was not on our side as the next storm was going to bring heavy rains for the remainder of the day.  Gently on the outside while exploding on the inside I watched as his line dead drifted along the water's current.   A few rises in the water told me the trout were still there.  Cast after cast he had a few subtle hits but just couldn’t connect.  The dark clouds were starting to drift in and I knew the rain would be crashing down soon.  I anxiously watched the tip of his rod.  FINALLY! His rod tip bent and the fight was on.  As he stripped his line in I held my breath holding the net ready to go.  With a dip of the wrist the beautiful little brown was in our possession.  I gently took the hook out of its mouth,  I quietly thanked it, and let it go back into the water. 

With a fist bump and congratulations, we were both super excited.  It wasn’t a monster but it was his first Adirondack trout and he had caught it on the rod he had built.  Mission accomplished.  With a smile on his face Scott decided we should head back to camp.  That evening we feasted on a  big steak dinner and we talked about the wonderful things the Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures and Project Healing Waters does for our veterans.  The powerful connection between veterans in need and the outdoors is truly an amazing thing.  We again talked for hours as the rain came down.  The next morning over breakfast we reminisced about our short time together and how much fun he had.  I told him how much I had appreciated our time together and discussed hooking back up again for another fishing trip.  With a hug and a handshake I wished him safe travels and he pulled away.  I took my time cleaning up around camp making sure it was ready for the next veteran and their family when they arrived.  With my truck all packed up and the rain coming down around me I took a moment to look around. 

Camp Serenity is really more than just a campground for our veterans and families,  it’s a place to heal and connect to the wild places that make the North Country so special. 

Last year when I was asked to be on the board for the WWOA I started to think about how I could have a positive impact on our veterans.  I wanted to do more than just sit in meetings and help make decisions.  I personally wanted to make a difference in veteran’s lives.  I knew what a positive impact the outdoors had made on my life and I wanted to find a way to share that.  Fly fishing being my most cherished time outdoors I figured I needed to share that with them.  This trip was more than just fishing, it was about making a positive impact on a veteran’s life.  I think I was able to do that. 

Organizations like the WWOA and PHW are run by people that want to help veterans who have seen and dealt with the worst life can throw at them.  These organizations can not function without donations from people who are willing to make a difference in our hero’s lives.  I ask that when you decide to make a donation to a cause please consider donating to one of these wonderful organizations.  I can assure you that the money goes to trips like the one I did.   With your help we can continue to make sure our veterans have special places to enjoy the good things in life. 

Donate to Wounded Warrior Outdoor Adventures

Donate to Project Healing Waters

Aaron Hardy

Northern NY Adventures

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