Sailing in Paradise

Here's a video our local paper made of our sailing center and summer camp. I had a hard time viewing it and don't have sound, so either it's choppy and hard to watch, or my computer just didn't like it. In any case, I saw at least one of my kids in it ... C and I are helping out this summer and M is taking the class this session. They asked M if she wanted to be interviewed and she said she was too scared ... I bet after seeing the video she'll wish she'd said yes.

Four or so years ago my friend George offered to pay for C to take a sailing camp south of us. He warned me that it was an expensive hobby ... but I wasn't worried because it was just a summer camp, my kids didn't know anything about sailing, blah blah blah. After the last day of camp we registered her for two camp sessions at our sailing center, and the rest is history. So here we are ... 4 years, 3 sailors, and an insane number of regattas later. But it's fun. C, especially, loves it. I likes it, but started when he was 6 and is ready to devote some of his time to something else - soccer or baseball, perhaps. M is not convinced it's her thing, but whether she ever races or not she has at least developed a lifelong skill that most people only dream about.

George and I - Schools Out Regatta

There is so much about sailing we like - the kids are solely responsible for their success or failure (and for their equipment), they participate at all times (everyone races every race), they've made friendships with sailors all over the state (some kids even travel out of the country to race), and, frankly, it's just cool to watch your 7 or 8 year old sailing a boat all by himself.

C Launching - Schools Out Regatta

Jason works weekends so I'm the lucky parent that takes the kids to the regattas, unless I opt to have the coach (he's the guy with the mustache in the video) or one of the other Moms take them. I generally take all the kids. We pack into a hotel room, bringing sleeping bags along for whoever draws the short straw and the rest of us sharing beds and taking advantage of the pull-out couch. The younger kids and I go window shopping, take nature walks, find museums we get discounts at (side note- if you join a museum or zoo find out about the other institutions in the same groups, joining two places has given us discounts or free entrance all over the state, and even some out of state places), and just hang out. The first 2 or so years I was the Mom with the double stroller - it went everywhere at every regatta. Now that they're older we can do so much more stuff ... and we've learned a lot about south Florida. While we're usually wiped out at the end of the weekend we're always ready to do it again. I still don't know how to sail, I keep saying I'll take a class when K does, but still we're definately a sailing family ... just like lots of kids activities this one took over our lives for the last few years.

I Sailing - Schools Out Regatta

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