Week Two: May 6 – 10
A full-on week with 136 budding sailors, (including two teachers), taking to the water. Churchill Park School kids sailed Monday and Friday, with St Pius, Glen Innes and Glenbrae schools during the week.
A full-on week with 136 budding sailors, (including two teachers), taking to the water. Churchill Park School kids sailed Monday and Friday, with St Pius, Glen Innes and Glenbrae schools during the week.
For the first four days winds in Okahu Bay ranged from near zero to about 12 knots from the east. Further out in the harbour the easterly had a bit more grunt so it was only the Glenbrae kids on Thursday morning that got to venture out past the old Okahu Bay breakwater.
Judging by the forecast the skies Friday looked like it would be a difficult day, but the opposite was true. As the sailors got ready the sun came out and a light westerly started to build, perfect for a No Instruction Day. No Instructions is not quite correct – the students get told how to sit in the boat, what to hold onto, and to head to Rangitoto – but that’s all. With just enough breeze to make the boats go and move them offshore they soon get the hang of it, and most are tacking, gybing (not that they know what those are) and picking up floating toys before lunch. With the breeze having slowly built to about 8 knots these guys sailed from the ramp after lunch like pros – no wonder they developed a new rating for the day – super-awesome.
Each afternoon session was capsizing chaos and as usual this was rated as the favourite activity. While it seems like wasted sailing time the skills and confidence developed; of floating in deep water, getting a boat back upright, and getting back in it, are invaluable.
St Pius, Churchill Park, Glen Innes and Glen Brae schools lining up ready for their day on the water.
