The more we do it, the better we get! Today was the second of eight lessons in our fall session of Youth Sailing. Each Saturday will look the same. We are divided into two groups: the beginner sailors, ages 9-12, who attend our STEM class, the SYSTEM, and the intermediate sailors, ages 12-17, who attend our NEXT LEVEL program. Both groups began at 10 AM and finished at 3 PM. The SYSTEM classroom is indoors, and the NEXT LEVEL meets in the second-floor breezeway. The SYSTEM is based on REACH (US Sailing's STEM education series), while the NEXT LEVEL is based on US Sailing's Intermediate curriculum.
The weather in Miami, and many other places, follows a pattern: one day looks like the next. The weatherman calls for southeasterly winds of 5-10 knots, but it's calm in the morning. Then, as it gets warmer throughout the day, the land heats up, and the sea breeze kicks in. The wind on the water is affected by local topography, where land, buildings, and other structures block the wind and create turbulence. Also, there is usually a big difference between the highest and lowest wind speeds. We refer to this as puff and lull. Today, the puffs (gusts) were much stronger than 10 knots. In reality, after the fact, when we all know what happened,….
Today was a big Fleet Week celebration next door at the Coral Reef Yacht Club (CRYC). Hundreds of young sailors were invited for fishing, sailing, and boating. The first busload showed up at 0645 hours for a lovely breakfast buffet. As luck has it, the day coincided with our regular Thursday Veterans Sailing. Two uniquely named veterans, who had never sailed with us, arrived at about 1000 hours. The weather and wind were perfect for sailing across the Bay and joining the festivities at Stiltsviille. We tied the boat next to an anchored sailboat in what can best be described as a small lagoon behind the building. The CRYC dockmaster was on hand to ferry us to the lapidated building. We mingled with the sailors for a while and had some snacks and refreshments before heading back to the US Sailing Center. We had to leave before the current started ripping. The sail home was smooth and very relaxing. It was …
Perhaps I might be getting forgetful, but today felt like the best Veterans Sail ever! We had two boats, six veterans, one veteran family member, plus me. Two of the veterans had never sailed with us before. Today was a perfect day on the Bay. The weather conditions were ideal, with just the "right" amount of wind speed. We aimed for the Biscayne Bay channel as we left the Seaplane channel behind, spotting some Dolphins along the way, then tacking through Stiltsville, we turned around and headed back home with the flooding tide pushing us along Bill Baggs State Park, Nixons Beach,..,
Old friends meet new friends. Today, a young man who had just returned from active duty in Syria was visiting. It was super rewarding to offer him and his significant other a soothing and relaxing experience sailing on Biscayne Bay. As always, thank you guys for serving our country.
Today, we had three veterans out sailing Captain Ed was in command as usual. They did an awsome docking upon their return to the dock. I witnessed it through my camera lens. Fantastic! See for yourself; view the pictures and video below.
Also, see the information about why and how to join us for our next sail on February 22.
Students from the Miami Learning Experience returned for another Fun Day Sailing today. it was a small group with big hearts, four students and two teachers. It was windy with chilly temperatures. we stayed close to shore. For the most part, it was a harbor cruise. I could not have had better volunteers to command the two Sonar sailboats. Randy and Kenny grew up in Miami, and I have known them since 1980.….
Today, we had 17 kids and seven coaches on the water. The wind was southerly, 10-15kts. We rigged both RS Ventures and four Fevas. Mo and John coached the intermediates using the Boston Whaler. They set a windward-leeward course, and the kids had a blast. They kept going around and around. They seemed to do better with each lap, and there was no quitting. Joe, Leo, and I followed the beginners aboard our propeller-less safety boat. Also aboard was Shuntae, a program director for Cammilus House Vera Gardens. Each of the RS Venture had 470 sailors skippering. Anna and Liam are their names. We are super stoked to have them come and volunteer….
Today, we had two new veterans in our weekly Thursday Sailing program. In all, we had one Sonar sailing with a crew of five Veterans aboard. The wind and weather were perfect for our sport. The wind dropped as they sailed along, but they returned to port as planned at 2 PM. The event was delayed because of an 18-wheeler Coca-Cola delivery truck accident on I-95. Some veterans travel a long distance to be a part of our sailing. We appreciate their effort and are humbled by the fact.
At Team Paradise, we are one happy bunch of people! Every weekend brings challenges in one form or another. But no worries, everything worked out by day's end, and everyone was smiling. Today, we were shorthanded in the coaching staff. If there is a will, there is a way; Jian stepped up as usual, Mo returned, and Joe has not missed a day. Yours truly was assigned to an RS Venture, and so was Jian...
For veterans with disabilities, sailing is used as a holistic therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Sailing can even have long-term effects on veterans who struggle with these ailments and help to improve their overall quality of life. Being on the water promotes a healthy and active body, but did you know studies show that outdoor activities can help with various mental health issues? Sailing is an activity that….
Today, we marked half-time for our Saturday Youth Sailing winter session. Four events are completed, and there are four more to come. Sailing today was completely different from last week. We had light air and a fair bit warmer temperatures. Sixteen students came to sail and have fun in the sun. Jian and Marite skippered the RS Ventures; we also had two Fevas sailing, one with Adrian and Gabriel and the other with Ale and Noah. It was a super busy day with racing in several classes….
For veterans with disabilities, sailing is used as a holistic therapy to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Sailing can even have long-term effects on veterans who struggle with these ailments and help to improve their overall quality of life. Being on the water promotes a healthy and active body, but did you know studies show that outdoor activities can help with various mental health issues? Sailing is an activity that….
The forecast for today was for NW winds, 10-15 knots, gusting to 20 knots. Our float plan was easy, given the weather forecast and the high tide. Make a left from the SeaPlane Channel, stay close to shore, and sail to the Viscaya museum and around their little island, which is like a driveway for boats. Our chairman of the Board, Moises Alfonso, and I launched the coach boat and followed along, taking pictures and cheering on. We navigated back the same route we came out. The wind was gusty and too strong…
Yesterday was another breezy day in paradise! The forecast was for 10 to 15 kt SE winds with gusts to around 20 kt. Bay waters a moderate chop. We had twenty-six people on the water, including twenty kids, five coaches, and one assistant coach. Susan remained land-based as usual, heading up our central command….
It was another windy day on the bay. Ten students and two teachers from the Miami Learning Experience came sailing with us. The previous week was canceled due to the chill and strong wind. They returned back to port earlier than expected. One of the students complained about motion sickness, so the coach in charge made the right decision and turned around….
The past week proves that the weather forecast is often incorrect. Some people ask me what the weather will do on a given day. I usually say, “I can tell you tonight accurately.” It hurts when we cancel and later realize we could have sailed. Team Paradise canceled events on Wednesday due to windy and chilly weather predictions. We probably could have sailed. Our corporate regatta on Thursday had ideal wind….
Team Paradise hosted the ATC Corporate Regatta today. The group arrived at the US Sailing Center at noon. After a short meet and greet, we continued with the skipper's meeting, followed by a safety briefing.
Five boats came to the starting line, three Sonar and two J-24. Each team had a skipper we provided and three corporate team members aboard. We managed to complete three races in light and shifty wind.
The after-sail de-briefing at the Coral Reef Yacht Club next door was almost as fun as the racing. Everyone seemed to have a good time……
Today was our season premiere for Saturday Youth Sailing. We have three sessions scheduled for 2024: winter, spring, and fall. Each session has eight lessons on Saturdays between 11 AM and 3 PM. Our motto is Safe, Fun, and Learning.
Following professional sports in the media teaches a lot about attitude, effort, and what it takes to win. We are not competing, but internally we aim to improve and do better each and every time we sail. It amazes me how professional sports teams often do not have their top players healthy, but they must play, and they still win. How is that possible? The answer is that they have an identity imprinted; it’s about the next man up, adjusting the game plan, and never giving up. At Team Paradise, we have copied tour his attitude. Today wasn’t easy; we were short of coaches, it was pretty windy, and we expected a record number of participants. No problem……
Our first Thursday Sail in 2024 had four veterans from the Miami VA. Sailing on Biscayne Bay aboard one of our Sonar. The vessel was commanded by Captain Ed, who is also a veteran. Yours truly had another Sonar sailing with students from our adult sailing school. We eventually meet in the Biscayne Channel, which connects Biscayne Bay to the Atlantic Ocean. We ended up there mainly because of the scenic experience that Stilltsville provides. Another reason was the wind conditions. The brisk, northerly wind provided good boat speed and a favorable point of sail. Both boats covered a lot of distance within the allotted three-hour timeline…
Another year is in the books! Our Team moved onwards and upwards, as you will learn in this blog. Like other sports teams, we strive to improve every time we play. A new day is another opportunity to improve and do better! As the head coach, my job is to lead by example. Our relationship has to be a win-win for everyone who comes here to sail, including our students and volunteers. We learn from one another! I value talent/skill and likeability equally. Our motto is Safe-Fun-Learning. Every time we check those three boxes, we win!
About 800 kids came to race in the Orange Bowl Youth Regatta this year. The Coral Reef Yacht Club did an excellent job hosting the event. The Opti was by far the largest class. They were divided into two circles: The Opti Green (beginners) sailed closer to home, while the Opti Red, Opti White, and Opti Blue sailed further east. Also competing were the Club 420 on a circle a bit further south and then the ILCA class on the southernmost circle. The ILCA was divided into ILCA 4, ILCA 6, and ILCA 7……
To me, every day is special. Today, we had four veterans and one volunteer sailing in one of our Sonars. We noticed a Pelican sitting next to the boat as we approached it. Something was wrong because the bird did not move. My first thought was to call somebody. Suddenly, one of the veterans said, “No worries, I’m a veterinarian!” She asked me to run and get some big towels, and I did. When I returned, the bird was gone. Our veterinarian veteran had realized that one of its legs had an old fishing line wrapped around it. As soon as she had cut her loose, the pelican jumped into the water and swam away.
Our team for the day went sailing, and everyone had a go at the helm. After returning to port, they all lowered and rolled up the sails, washed the boat, retrieved it, and put it back on the trailer. The debriefing that followed lasted over an hour. The group bonded exceptionally well in a very short time.
Today, we had our second visit with students from the Divine Academy. Another cold front had arrived with chilly temperatures and windy conditions. We sailed close to shore to avoid splashing waives that would make everyone wet. The excursion turned into a harbor cruise. We started out sailing through the Sea Plane Channel but eventually turned around. Our journey continued past City Hall, through Dinner Key Marina, towards Regatta Park, the Seminole boat ramp, and the Coconut Grove Sailing Club’s mooring field. Yours truly was taking pictures from our coach boat. I had a “can’t miss” meeting and had to return to base sooner than usual. Ed Marreo replaced me at the dock to welcome the sailors back.
Today was our final lesson of Saturday Youth Sailing in 2023. It was a make-up day for the event we had to cancel in October. The Verde Gardens kids did not attend, so we only had eight students.
The day began with coach Josh teaching in the classroom and reviewing pictures and videos. They proceeded to rig four RS Fevas and headed out sailing. We had many coaches for the day, so Marite, Mo, Joe, and I took this rare opportunity to check out some of the ongoing sailboat racing. First, we passed by the Melges 20 fleet, then the Star boat regatta. That’s the boat type that yours truly sailed for many years (four decades, to be exact). We had so much fun! On our way back to port, we checked in with Josh and the students, taking more pictures and cheering them on…
