COEUR d'ALENE - Ethan Bluemer was filled with excitement as he pulled up to the North Idaho College beach in a kayak on Tuesday.

It was the first time the fifth-grader helped navigate a kayak.

And he guaranteed that it won't be the last after being on Lake Coeur d'Alene for nearly two hours.

"I would be out on the water all day," Ethan said.

Ethan was among the students who ventured onto the lake as part of Camp Ka-Mee-Lin, a Post Falls summer youth camp based at Kiwanis Park. Water activities are the camp's theme this week.

NIC's Outdoor Pursuits program offered the camp a deal on the vessels.

"I had been a canoe before, but never a kayak," Ethan said.

He said he noticed a big difference between the two.

"Kayaks are much easier to use," he said.

Fifth-grader Lauren Young helped maneuver a canoe for the first time.

"The waves kept pushing us toward shore, but that also made it fun," Lauren said. "It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. It took a lot of teamwork."

The campers were assisted by camp counselors during the outing.

Counselor Danielle Meehan said the camp introduces youth to a variety of field trips and outdoor adventures, including Dutch oven cooking.

"The kids really enjoy it," she said.

Ethan and Lauren said they hope it won't be long before they have a kayak or canoe of their own.

"I'm going to have my parents look into it," Lauren said.

Ethan added: "I think I'm going to talk my dad into buying a new one."