The Reward is in the Journey!
Team Paradise is honored to be working for the US Sailing Center Miami (USSC), providing the ultimate Summer Camp experience for our Magic City kids. This is the second and final week of the camp, Each day will bring kids from a new and different park. I’m not sure who is more excited, us or the campers. Let’s go Sailing!
This blog will be updated on a daily basis, so check in often and follow our journey.
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Serving 113 Campers in 10 Days
Great big thank you to everyone involved with putting the summer camp together. The US Sailing Center - Miami Parks Sailing for the worthwhile and rewarding initiative. Our volunteers worked diligently and put up a big effort on a daily basis. Ed, Mo, Josh, Jian, Maryna, Frankie, and Pickel, you are the best!
Henderson Park August 4
On the final day of summer camp, ten campers and three counselors from Henderson Park visited. The weather pattern was similar to earlier in the week. Southerly winds 5 to 10 kt. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of thunderstorms in the morning, showers and thunderstorms likely in the afternoon. We stayed close to the harbor area, which turned out to be the right call. After about 90 minutes of fun, thunderous clouds approached, and we had to cut the day short. Despite the early exit, everyone was safe and had fun. Welcome back next year!
Jose Marti Park August 3
Jose Marti Park brought 17 campers and three counselors for the day. We also welcomed a news reporter from FOX Weather Channel, which was super cool. Team Paradise provided a staff of five, plus Pat Downey, the executive director of the US Sailing Center. In total, we had 27 people on the water!
The weather forecast had SE winds of 5 to 10 kt and Bay waters with a light chop. Showers and thunderstorms were likely. We stayed close to our home base but in deep enough water to compensate for the lack of appropriate footwear amongst many of the campers.
After returning to shore, Pat, myself and some of the volunteers were interviewed by the FOX reporter. The short segment might be included in Saturday’s weather news. We will keep our fingers crossed🙂
Reeves Park, Little Haiti Soccer Park and Legion Park August 2
Big day for the US Sailing Center and everyone involved! We had 19 campers and four counselors visiting from three different parks. All was facilitated by four Team Paradise volunteers, Pat Downey from the US Sailing Center and myself. In total, we were 28 people on the water, which is the highest number we have had this summer. The outcome could not have been any better, at least not by much. Everyone was participating and having boatloads of fun!! Thank you all for coming, and we hope to see you again soon!
Coral Gate Park August 1
The day started out picture-perfect! 14 campers and three counselors joined our team. The 10 AM NOAA weather forecast for Biscayne Bay called for S winds of 5 to 10 kt. Bay waters a light chop. A chance of showers and thunderstorms. It caused us to change our float plan. Originally, we had planned to sail to a sandbar. Another reason to stay away from shallow waters was the lack of proper footwear for many of the campers. Instead, we anchored close to our home base.
Our time at sea became greatly reduced as a thunderstorm approached very fast. Our team responded very quickly and managed to get every back to shore and shelter before the lightning storm was above us. We had everything in place: three certified coaches, three youth counselors, an office manager at mission control, plus the USSC executive director standing by to provide help wherever needed!
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* Adjusting our strategic plan
* Using two sailboats plus the safety boats only.
* Adjusting our float plan
* Only about 0.82NM away from home base
* Continuously staying updated on the current weather development.
* Identifying an oncoming rain storm and anticipating the wind would drastically increase.
* Halting the sailboats from leaving our anchor location for a leisure sail with camp counselors
* Moving the sailboats from their mooring mushroom and tying them up behind the safety boat, which had a much stronger anchor point.
* Realizing that the cell was a thunderstorm and also included lightning
* Making the decision to return to port as soon as possible
* Having a competent crew of two on each vessel
* Having a proper land-based crew
* Office manager who called to make sure we were aware of the approaching storm
* A competent dockmaster from USSC to receive the boats at the dock
* Quickly bringing the campers to the building and ultimate safety.
Grapeland Park July 31
Eleven campers and one counselor arrived bright and early, excited about what the adventure would bring. Everyone was a swimmer, but only very few had been one Biscayne Bay before. None had ever sailed. We were about to change all of that……..