First week of JuneOpen
Week 1: Welcome to the water
Swim tests, a tour of the lake beach and the pool, and getting to know the dock rules, with games in the pavilion shade.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Day camp in Southport, North Carolina
Lake days and pool days for ages 5 to 13
Bobber is a family-run day camp with a lake beach and a pool. Every camper takes a swim test on the first morning, wears a life jacket on the dock and in every boat, and swims with a lifeguard on the deck.
The waterfront
How we run the lake beach and the pool
License
This is a summer day camp. It is not licensed as child care by the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education.
Adults to children
1 adult to 8 children
5 to 8 years
Group size: 16
1 adult to 10 children
9 to 13 years
Group size: 20
1 adult to 6 children
In the water, 5 to 13 years
Group size: 12
Capacity
100
Ages 5 years to 13 years
Staff checks and training
- Background checks
- CPR and first aid
- Lifeguard training
- Water safety instructors
- Medication training
Safety routines
Life jackets
Every camper wears a life jacket on the dock and in every boat. A counselor checks the fit at the dock before each paddle block, and campers who haven't taken the swim test wear one in the water too.
The swim test
On the first morning each camper swims a short stretch of the roped shallows with a counselor beside them. The test places the camper in the shallow area or the deeper area, and a camper can take it again in any week.
A lifeguard on the deck
A lifeguard watches the water at every swim, at the lake beach and at the pool, and does nothing else. Counselors are in the water with their groups.
Buddy checks
Campers swim with a buddy. A counselor calls a buddy check at set times, counts every camper in and out of the water, and reads the count back before the group leaves.
Heat, sun and thunder
There is shade at the lake beach, the pool and the field, and a water break between blocks. Campers wear a hat and put on sunscreen from home. When thunder is heard, everyone leaves the water and waits indoors for the lifeguard's all-clear.
Drop-off and pickup
An adult on your list signs your camper in and out at the pavilion door, and we ask for ID until we know you.
Sample details.
Summer
Nine weeks, one at a time
Book the weeks that fit your summer. Each week runs Monday to Friday and has its own theme, with the water in every one.
Summer
- Second week of JuneOpen
Week 2: Paddle week
Canoes and kayaks in life jackets, steering as a team in the cove, and knots on the dock.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Third week of JuneOpen
Week 3: Creek and cove
Nets, buckets and a field guide: pond dipping, shell hunts and sketching what the group finds.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Fourth week of JuneWaitlist
Week 4: Build and float
Boats from cardboard, foil and tape, tested in a tub on the beach, then built again.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- First week of JulyFull
Week 5: Swim week
A swim-only week in smaller groups by level, with the lake beach and the pool every morning and no field games.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- Second week of JulyOpen
Week 6: Games and relays
Team games on the field in the cooler morning hours, and relays at the pool after lunch.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Third week of JulyOpen
Week 7: Art by the lake
Paint, clay and weaving at the pavilion tables, and sketching at the end of the dock.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Fourth week of JulyOpen
Week 8: Woods and trails
Nature walks, shade forts and a scavenger hunt on the trail behind the pool.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- First week of AugustOpen
Week 9: Family picnic week
Songs and games all week, ending Friday with a picnic at the lake beach for campers' families.
- Ages 5 to 13
- 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sample sessions.
Weeks by age
Which weeks are open for your camper
| Ages | Adults to children | Group size | Weeks 1 to 48:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.5 days | Week 5: swim week8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.5 days | Weeks 6 to 98:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.5 days | Early and late care7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.5 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Younger campers5 to 8 yearsKindergarten through second grade, in their own groups | 1 adult to 8 children | 16 | Offered | WaitlistWeek 5 | Offered | Offered |
| Older campers9 to 13 yearsThird grade through seventh grade, with more choice in the afternoon blocks | 1 adult to 10 children | 20 | Offered | Offered | Offered | Offered |
| In the waterIn the water, 5 to 13 yearsEvery swim block at the lake beach and the pool | 1 adult to 6 children | 12 | Offered | Offered | Offered | Not offered |
Fees and what each is for
- Registration
- Holds a place and covers each camper's file for the summer.
- Early and late care
- Extra hours before and after the camp day, booked by the week.
- Camp shirt
- The shirt campers wear on field days, so counselors can find the group at a glance.
- Swim shirt
- A bright shirt for the water, so the lifeguard and counselors can see the whole group.
Openings change as weeks fill. Our registration page has the latest.
Sample programs.
A camp day
A day with the water in it
Camp opens at 8:30 a.m. under the pavilion. Each group has a swim block at the lake beach or the pool, lunch is at long tables, and the afternoon is games, crafts and the woods.
Morning circle under the pavilion
A swim block for every group
Lunch from home at long tables
Quiet hour in the shade
Pickup at the pavilion door by 4:00 p.m.
From parents
What families tell us
“I liked knowing the rules before drop-off: life jackets on the dock, a swim test the first morning, a lifeguard at every swim. I wasn't guessing.”
Monique T.Parent of a ten-year-old
“By Wednesday the person at the pavilion door knew my face. On Monday they still checked my ID, and I was glad they did.”
Gerald W.Parent of two campers
“We visit family in Southport every July, and booking two weeks was one page. They answered my questions about the swim test by text the same day.”
Alicia R.Parent of a seven-year-old
Sample reviews.
Register for a session
Registration opens in February. Pick your weeks on our enrollment page, and a full week has a waitlist.