Today was the first lesson of the Spring session. Except for a couple of the kids, none had sailed since the end of the Winter session on February 21 st. That is way too long. We all become “rusty” if we don’t sail on a regular basis. Once a week is not enough, but that is all we have, so we make the most of it. A small craft advisory was in effect, and we estimated the wind at about 15-20 mph. Coach Ella was prepared with various land drills, but we decided to go sailing instead and headed out through the Seaplane Channel.
With the Olympic opréning ceremony taking place in Italy last night, hosting our own Olympic Day was a great idea. The classroom was decorated with Olympic memorabilia. Olympian Nikki Barnes and her crew, Ryan, and coach Pat Downey were in attendance. giving motivational speeches to all of us.
Another cold front was supposed to descend on us today. It would bring rain, thunderstoms and windy conditions. It was suggested that we may need to cancel the day before. Looking at the weather radar this morning, it didn’t look good. The SYSTEM sailors stayed inside the classroom doing lab work, while our Next Level sailors did chalk talks and some land drills.
Today was a very good day, perhaps the best day we ever had in our youth sailing program. I know, it's a big statement. We have had many good days before, and I can't remember ever having a really bad day. What made today so extra special was, in no particular order: watching kids who had never skippered a boat before now wanting to sail singlehanded or with any number of crew; and the camaraderie between the kids and the coaches: By now, the coaches are basically our best friends. Susan, our Executive Director, called for a debrief at the end of the day. We all need to stay on top of our certifications, such as Red Cross, SafeSport, and US Sailing; Team Paradise is the only Accredited Community Sailing Program on Biscayne Bay. We are honored to be in the position we are in, and we care about protecting….
Despite the lack of wind and cooler temperatures both in the air and water, Team Paradise delivered on a safe and fun-filled day, both on land and on the water. While waiting for the wind to pick up, Coach Ella and Coach Justine had the Next Level sailors teach the SYSTEM kids about the Thin Ice Challenge while the volunteers prepared and launched the sailboats. Eventually, we towed out behind our Boston Whaler and our propeller-less safety boat….
Team Paradise Sailing is a unique, mission-driven program that prioritizes quality over quantity. We're not in competition with high-capacity summer camps or crowded boat rides. Our purpose is deeper: to create transformative experiences on the water for youth, veterans, and individuals with diverse abilities….
Our sailing program for veterans and first responders brought another amazing day of learning and connection to Biscayne Bay. Bringing together returning teammates with new families, it is beyond rewarding to see how sailing makes an impact on our community. And today, we brought our sailors to the heart of downtown Miami!
Twelve seasons in, and our Saturday youth sailors continue to amaze us. This past weekend marked the end of another unforgettable chapter, capping off a school year filled with immense growth, new friendships, and endless breakthroughs on the water. We captured so many joyful moments from our final day, and celebrated even more wins with our talented sailors!
How much fun did we have? A small craft advisory was in effect throughout the evening. The forecast called for east winds 15 to 20 kt. Given our location and the contestants' high skill level, the conditions were ideal! What made it even easier for Team Paradise was to have such a high-level coaching staff from Ransom. Nikki Barns and her husband, David Bagher, both Olympians, are simply awesome people. So are coach Augustin Vidal and the student assistant coach, Marcus. They all became engaged, taking the initiative to move markers around, while Nikki and David controlled the dock. Combined, they ultimately made our event even better. We managed to run five races in 75 minutes, which kept us on schedule.
Today was the first lesson of the Spring session. Except for a couple of the kids, none had sailed since the end of the Winter session on February 21 st. That is way too long. We all become “rusty” if we don’t sail on a regular basis. Once a week is not enough, but that is all we have, so we make the most of it. A small craft advisory was in effect, and we estimated the wind at about 15-20 mph. Coach Ella was prepared with various land drills, but we decided to go sailing instead and headed out through the Seaplane Channel.
This week, Team Paradise headed to the recently renovated War Memorial Auditorium for the eXp South Florida Regional Rally. Part of a massive nationwide series of events, the rally was designed to spark collaboration, offer high-level training, and foster the kind of community engagement that keeps our industry moving forward….
The sailing conditions were about as good as it gets. E-SE 10-15 mph. We had three short races scheduled, but we managed to run a fourth in one hour. The corporate participants from ciena arrived shortly before Noon. The team members for each boat were selected in advance. They had all read up on the most basic sailing knowledge, so all we had to do was the introductions, a safety briefing, and then we were off to the races. The scoresheet is included in the Sailing Instructions below. The Sonars finished second, third, and fifth, beating the J-70s, which finished first, fourth, and sixth……
Magnus, our founder and executive program director, was awarded the Kevin Burnham Memorial Award during a ceremony at the New York Yacht Club on February 12th, 2026
The award is a prestigious honor in competitive sailing, established to honor the Olympic gold medalist Kevin Burnham. It is designed to recognize athletes who embody the spirit, passion, and competitive drive that Kevin was known for throughout his career.
Another cold front was supposed to descend on us today. It would bring rain, thunderstoms and windy conditions. It was suggested that we may need to cancel the day before. Looking at the weather radar this morning, it didn’t look good. The SYSTEM sailors stayed inside the classroom doing lab work, while our Next Level sailors did chalk talks and some land drills.
Today was a very good day, perhaps the best day we ever had in our youth sailing program. I know, it's a big statement. We have had many good days before, and I can't remember ever having a really bad day. What made today so extra special was, in no particular order: watching kids who had never skippered a boat before now wanting to sail singlehanded or with any number of crew; and the camaraderie between the kids and the coaches: By now, the coaches are basically our best friends. Susan, our Executive Director, called for a debrief at the end of the day. We all need to stay on top of our certifications, such as Red Cross, SafeSport, and US Sailing; Team Paradise is the only Accredited Community Sailing Program on Biscayne Bay. We are honored to be in the position we are in, and we care about protecting….
Despite the lack of wind and cooler temperatures both in the air and water, Team Paradise delivered on a safe and fun-filled day, both on land and on the water. While waiting for the wind to pick up, Coach Ella and Coach Justine had the Next Level sailors teach the SYSTEM kids about the Thin Ice Challenge while the volunteers prepared and launched the sailboats. Eventually, we towed out behind our Boston Whaler and our propeller-less safety boat….
Today, we had the pleasure of hosting 20 corporate guests from Aviation ISAC, a global nonprofit dedicated to cybersecurity in the aviation industry. The weather forecast called for southwesterly winds around 5 kn, which is the lower limit for keelboat sailing. With only four hours to complete the program in marginal sailing conditions, I was pleased that we had chosen the Racing Excursion format, instead of the 3-race Regatta format. The Racing Excursion is designed to be more flexible in its course configuration, allowing us to generate apparent wind that produces……
Team Paradise picked up where we left off at the King Mango Strut. Today, we cleaned Paradise Island 305 to prove a point. We are the Defenders of Biscayne Bay!
Before we began the cleanup, we lined up for a photo. It’s a valuable sailing skill that will eventually lead to a sailboat race. It’s all about awareness of time and distance, forward progress, and how your boat moves compared to other boats. Are you on a parallel course, merging, or diverging? Adjust your sails accordingly. Trim the jib to perfection….
