The First Few Days

7/13/24 – 7/20/24

After years of camping at Seaton Creek, this summer I decided to search the internet and see if the campground host position was open. By a stroke of luck (or because it’s so remote), it was.

My first weekend there was the over the 4th of July, 2024 with some friends. I camped at my favorite sites (#5 & #9) before moving permanently to the host site (#14) on July 13th. I had almost the entire campground to myself those weekends, something that wouldn’t happen again until months later in October.

Camp host duties include helping guests navigate the campground and nearby attractions, cleaning up trash, keeping campsites maintained, collecting money, recording totals from the tills + firewood collection box, and… cleaning the vault toilets. Cleaning these toilets definitely keeps one humble.

Entry for Saturday, July 13th

I got in last night (Friday) at 7 p.m. and set up at the host site. My supervisor said she’d meet me this morning to go over orientation and get started, but there’s still no sign of her at 12:03. This will be my first time meeting my supervisor.

Before I left, I visited the library. I’m reading a book about an art thief who stole over 200 pieces from museums across Europe.

This morning, Moose and I walked to the dead end at the start of the Manistee River Trail and found a wonderful flat spot by the water, bathed in the morning sun. I like how the trees sink just below the surface in the creek and look like ghosts with a strange, green hue. We walked along the creek’s edge (narrow and precarious at times) and came across two large logs that hosted at least a dozen turtles. They dashed into the water when we got close.

I really like it here. The birdsong, the cicadas, the sun. The campground is bustling this weekend. Last night, a group of older guys invited me over for brats and conversation. It was nice. If they come by again, I may have steak with them tonight.

The high is supposed to be in the high 80s today, so my plan later is to cool off in the river with Moose.

*I had steak and kale salad!

Sunday, July 14

Started the day with coffee and then made the rounds to clean. I was worried since I haven’t had the supplies for the bathrooms, and they haven’t been stocked or taken care of. I went around, put the campsites in order, and cleaned and restocked the bathrooms.

My new friends from last night left, and I met another: Mark. He’s here with his old dog River, and they hiked 15 miles today. I told him about Bucksnort when he left, and he said he couldn’t stop thinking about it. When he got back, he said he’d grab burgers from Bucksnort and some beer. When he returned, we talked for a long time while the fire burned out. He’s into psychology and ancient (possibly alien) civilizations. This journey keeps restoring my love for my fellow humans.

Earlier this afternoon, around 5-6, I went down to the river again to swim with Moose, and it was beautiful and simple. I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I want everyone here to fall in love with this place like I have. I hope I can play a part in that happening.

*Raccoons were rustling last night, and when I opened the door, one of them GROWLED at me from the darkness. I shut the door— not tonight, little demons.

Tuesady, July 16th

Last night, a large storm rolled in. The flashes lit up Bertha, and I could feel the rumble of thunder under my body. It was like that for a long time as most of the storm passed around us. When the portion hit, luckily, there wasn’t a ton of wind, just loads of rain. Everything is soaked this morning! I started a fire to dry out the chairs. The tarp over my supplies on the picnic table held, so everything under there is nice and dry.

Took a shower in the river at the secret shower 🧼 spot.

Saturday, July 20

A few days ago, a Girl Scout troop left me some cookies. It was really sweet.

This morning, I saw a beaver swimming under the water right next to the river’s edge. The water is so clear here, I could see it entirely the whole length of my view. Super cool. Lots of turtles too.

Victoria came up to visit Friday and just left this morning. She got in late Friday night, set up a tent, and after about 20-30 minutes, we went to bed. We woke up the next morning, made coffee, and she came with me to clean the bathrooms.

After that, we got ready to hike up to the suspension bridge! The weather was perfect, and Victoria had brought two poles. When we got there, while she was stringing it up, one of the old poles broke. My goal was for one of us to catch a rainbow trout, and when we moved to a part of the river where we could see a few, we caught one! We had to change up the lure a few times to get it right. They were so pretty, dancing in the water with their colors, and on shore, they sparkled in the sun. They’re beautiful fish. We threw it back after a pic, and other than a few nibbles, didn’t catch another. There were large suckers at the bottom of the river we could see, but they didn’t seem interested in our bait.

After that, we went swimming at the beach, and Victoria did a rope swing for the first time in her life. She was about 2 feet off the ground, but it still counts. I did the highest one I’ve ever done! It was scary letting go.

We made dinner, and Victoria brought spaghetti squash. She had also brought McMuffin supplies for breakfast. It was delicious. We sat by the fire for a long time and talked.

This weekend has been packed with campers. Both group sites are full. I think I’ll head back later today to GR and come back Monday. Not much to report this week, Wed-Thursday. Watched the group sites come and go. Everyone at one site said goodbye to Moose before they left, and I took two pictures of them on their disposable camera.

Notable memories were the little moments:

I whittled a good walking stick
I ate the juiciest peach of my life that the firewood delivery guys had left me
I handmade the shittiest fish fly you’ve ever seen out of bluejay feathers and a rubber band that caught me a bluegill!
I would catch, gut and pan fry the fish I caught out of Seaton Creek after watching YouTube tutorial videos
I spent rainy days reading in the van
I made popcorn and brats over the fire
Some friends would come to visit
The moon kept me company at night
Guests would leave good wishes and jokes on the whiteboard
I walked the Manistee River Trail down to the suspension bridge to fish and once to Sara’s Falls
I carved into two deadfall logs for fun
I sat back in my camping tree and looked up at this view, every day for three awesome months:

The Next Few Months

August – October 2024

The following months flew by. On sunny days, the dragonflies would come out around 1 p.m. to eat/scare away the flies. There was a gorgeous purple one and a bright blue one. They would land on my knees. The nights were cool and dark. The spider webs glistened in the morning, and toads came out after a good rain. Everything had a rhythm.

That same rhythm followed me into the fall. Caterpillars started crawling about as the temperature changed, plants went to seed and turned brown, yellow, and orange. The trees put on a spectacular show. The fish left the shallow waters, and the two blue herons I watched fly past in the mornings migrated south. My last day was October 14th, and the creeping cold made it easy to head back home for the winter.