Camper Culture at Golden Arm Park – the movie

I confess. When my friend Elaine and I arrived at Golden Arm Park on a quiet Thursday afternoon, we both figured I’d be driving back to town with her on Saturday after her Nia dance class.

We had an amazing canoe ride on the pond, a swim, and a walk around the camp. There were some nice photography opportunities, but I thought two days would be enough to cover it. 

The owners, Murray & Mickey Crocker, had invited me to share a cabin with my friend Elaine to come explore their park through my camera’s viewfinder. They’d offered me an extra two nights and the surety of some other ride home.

I didn’t think I’d need that.

But while chasing a good vantage point for a timelapse video of the setting sun, I met the Normans and Lynches. They pulled up a chair for me, and I learned all about the game of washers while my camera, on its tripod, did its job. These two couples are the best of friends and hurry to Green’s Harbour every weekend to spend time together.

As I sat listening, sharing, and watching both the game and the setting sun, I was starting to understand why my sister and cousin so loved their camper time in the same spots all season.

By the time I joined my friend Elaine and the visitors from the cabin next door at the Crocker campfire, I was hooked.

Between Murray’s velvet storytelling & singing voice and young Kate Morgan-MacFadyen’s gifts at the guitar, I’d found my angle for this movie.

No, it’s not just a 5-minute nature video like I thought it would be… It’s a 1-hour music-filled documentary all about RV camp lifestyle. It’s all about Camper Culture! It’s about community!

Of course there’s lots of gorgeous nature … I’m me after all!

But there’s so much more:

• the family origin of this 29-year old RV park
• Music & Friends performances by Herman Hoyles, Murray Crocker, Mildred Smith, Tony Randell and Chris Young
• an interview with full-time seasonal residents Melanie Mason and Brian MacPhee in their Shangri-la garden with parents June & Gary Mason next door
• Elaine Dunphy’s Nia & Ageless Grace classes
• an interview with veteran & first year camper Judith Ann Mullaly
• excursions to the Jimmy Rowe Walking Trail in Whiteway and to Dildo
• the Shave for Jaxon story featuring the Forward and Donnan families
• sweet moments with Claire Sade, the 1-year old dancer, Mickey Crocker & her grandchildren Jace & Ava March,  and Nachesta Griffin with her son Sam Sing
• walks on the moss-covered park trail
• early-morning blueberry picking
• a cod-fishing excursion (my first in 11 years living in Newfoundland!)
• early morning time with the bunnies while the whole camp slept
• the first Cookhouse dance in 2 years because of COVID-19
• a 2nd canoe ride with Mickey
• and so much more!

I’m also so grateful for moments that didn’t make it in the movie:

• conversation & meal times with my friend Elaine
• the neighbour’s homemade ginger cake (turns out her best friend is the wife of the St. Bride’s lobster fisherman in a previous movie)
• daily swims
• time spent with my super hosts Mickey & Murray Crocker
• being recognized by my friend Kerri’s mother-in-law from videos I’d created featuring both of us on walks or ceremonies
• a comfortable bed & shower in Cabin #3
• everyone’s smiles & collaboration
• my ride to St. John’s with Murray and his mother, co-owner Nita Crocker, who were picking up a ping-pong table for the park
• and again… so much more!

So if you haven’t watched it yet, enjoy the 1-hour movie “Camper Culture at Golden Arm Park” above (change your YouTube Settings to HD for better viewing) with all its music, laughter, tears, beauty and love.

It took me 48 hours to edit all the footage once I got back from my 4.5 days in Green’s Harbour. It’s so much fun when the creative sequencing becomes clear in my mind. I received intuitive guidance for that while swimming laps one morning. I was so excited to get home to get to work on it!

Videography is definitely a creative passion!

Thanks & blessings to all those who have contributed in so many ways!

P.S. And as for all my volunteer art video projects, I welcome donations in exchange for a movie credit or dedication in my next production. You can send any amount by Paypal (or e-transfer for Canadians) to [email protected]. Thank you!

P.P.S. Speaking of donations, if Jaxon’s story moved you, the Donnan family encourage donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada. The $2,454 Cyril Forward raised at the park that day was given to the Donnan family to help them cover expenses in these challenging times.

P.P.P.S. If by the time you watch the movie there are commercials, my apologies. The copyright owners of the songs sung at Music & Friends have the right to earn revenue from ads for their songs.