“She stood in the storm
and when the wind did not blow her way,
she adjusted her sails.”
Elizabeth Edwards, 2010
Weathering the pandemic storm has challenged everyone in ways unimaginable just a few weeks ago. Individuals and organizations of every description have been forced to make major adjustments in their personal and work lives. For Call of the Sea, when the winds shifted, we adjusted not only our sails, but our course, crew and precious cargo.
Our first adjustment was to sail schooner Seaward home early from Mexico, and to batten down our vessels for the Spring season. No crew, cargo or Coast Guard inspections. Then we made a major adjustment from what had been planned for Summer. Instead of overnight voyages with teenage sailors, the winds of change caused us to try something we had never done before: “Young Salts Adventure Camp,” three week day camps conducted in compliance with Marin public health requirements.
What a program! The first session of sailing, kayaking, making model boats, and visiting waterfront enterprises was led by Captain Jay Grant and ends this week. Check out the summer camp photos and testimonials by parents! Ten percent of the young salts were supported by scholarships. Thank you, donors!
Captain Jessica Bucklin will lead the second three week session starting on Monday, July 13. The camps were so popular that a third session has been added to begin on Monday, July 20. Spaces are still available; but hurry, the first two sessions sold out quickly.
Register for Summer Camp
The success of the summer camp has inspired us to adapt it to serve students needing outdoor education in the late Summer and Fall. We have tentative plans to offer one week education programs starting in late August and are considering offering after school sails. Watch for the Summer 2020 Call of the Sea Appeal arriving by mail or electronically and consider what your gift could mean to our young salts who are eager to learn and explore.
And more good news! You will see brigantine Matthew Turner on the water next week, training crew and preparing for the last Coast Guard test: rescuing someone (in this case, a dummy) who has fallen overboard.
“The pessimist complains about the wind;
the optimist expects it to change;
the realist adjusts the sails.”
William Arthur Ward
I hope you are adjusting well to the shifting winds,
Steven Woodside
