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In the absence of fishable waters and with the conversion of the Bourne reflecting pool to a quiet park-like area, the Outdoor Club members brought their poles to Washington Green on several afternoons. The gentle whishhh of the lines and the determination in the eyes of the students informed observers this was serious business.
(L to R) Outdoor Club advisor and English Teacher Rod Theobald P ’09 ’14, Tanya Mittal ’16 and Jamie Lamy ’16
session was disappointing because the Shepaug and other nearby rivers were suffering through a substantial drought. However, they had several chances to fish the Housatonic. “The students learned to read the river, and the hatches,” Rod says. “I could tell when they became fishermen; they developed a new set of eyes.
When we drove over a river they would talk about pools and flow… notice things they never saw before.” One of the reasons Rod and his wife, Karoline, chose to come work for The Gunnery 18 years ago was the proximity of several excellent flyfishing rivers.
It wasn’t only fishing they explored. One whole afternoon they spent climbing the towering rock walls of the Roxbury iron mines. “They had great fun,” says Rod. “Scaling real walls (instead of indoor constructions) is stimulating. It truly tests your mettle and your grasp of the safety precautions.” Mr. Theobald is working to build up the Outdoor Club’s reputation and capability to exploit this beautiful area in keeping with the tenets of environmental conservation including the addition of kayaks and canoes both on the rivers and the lake. He is passionate about imparting his love of the outdoors to the students in his group.
Row 1 : (L to R) Taisiia Latypova ’18, Sabryna Coppola ’18, Eva Jones ’17, Katherine Nemergut ’19, Claire Geagan ’16, Sylvia Wang ’18, Cayetana Roca de Togores ’18, Gabrielle Lescadre ’18, Tessa Mackey ’16; Row 2: Brendon Vejseli ’17, Oliver Williams ’17, Connor Lemieux ’17, Sean Douglas ’19, Maximilian Italiaander ’17, Timothy Fisher ’16
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