Notes from the Road: Surf ‘n Turf Quest 2023

Today’s blog post takes you behind the scenes of Tawonga’s two-week long Surf ‘n Turf Quest. Enjoy highlights and photos below!

Quest Leaders

Julia Lee and Cal Segeal

Questers

12 Questers entering 7th and 8th grades

Quest Itinerary

• Camping in the California redwoods
• Backpacking on the Central California Coast
• Morro Bay camping and hiking
• Surfing in Ventura/Santa Barbara
• Beach clean up day & swimming
• Overnight sea kayaking trip to Santa Cruz Islands

Quest Highlights

• Campers gathered for Shabbat over a lovely meal and shared about their family traditions
• Seeing whales on the ferry ride to the Santa Cruz Islands
• Bonding when tidepooling at Pigeon Lighthouse
• Campers went on a hunt for items on the beach they thought were cool, then had a show and tell about their natural item and why they were drawn to it
• On the ferry ride to the islands, upon seeing dolphins, one camper exclaimed “This is the best day of my life!”

Quest Leader Inspiration

Quest leaders reflect on their favorite part of Quest:

Seeing the kids have fun and making friends. I think quest pushed many campers out of their comfort zones and they grew more confident in their leadership through work groups and this challenge.