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 appreciates the confidence and trust the US Sailing Center has in our ability to safely conduct Summer Camp Experiences for kids from ten different City of Miami parks. Each day brought a new group of campers. The challenges were many: weather, wind, thunderstorms, lightning, current, and Sargassum, just to name a few.
Preparing to compete in the SALT CUP in December is a breeze! Get US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certified, or buy a package of four Adult Sailing sessions on Sundays.
Welcome to our Adult Sailing School on Biscayne Bay! We love what we do, and if you learn to sail with us, chances are that you will love it too. Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to be a novice to participate. Many of us sailed years ago, but then life happened. This is your opportunity to refresh your skills and get back on track! Let’s go sailing!
My Olympic dream took 29 years to become a reality. It likely would never have happened without finding the right partner to team up with. Mark Reynolds had a proven record and had already earned Olympic gold and silver medals. Together, we embraced the motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger - Together.” In the end, that shared belief carried us to the top of the podium at the Millennium Games in Sydney.
What makes our summer camp so unique is that we have different kids every day. Only a very small percentage of them have ever been in the boat before. We are fortunate to have talented sailors in our coaching staff, and with our focus on safe, fun and learning, it makes all the difference in the world. The campers get to drive the boat, hike out, and hang in the trapeze….
With the recent news that Sail Newport was upgrading their J/22 fleet to J/7s, and the immediate and growing demand from other community sailing programs and yacht clubs to replace their aging keelboats, it’s timely to make people aware of successful funding strategies that have helped cash-strapped organizations fulfill their missions.
Another Thursday on the water brought a little bit of everything—lighter winds for practicing new skills, opportunities to learn from one another, and meaningful moments shared between veterans, first responders, and their families. It's days like these that remind us our Frontline Sailing Program is about so much more than sailing!
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!
Our Corporate Regatta on May 22nd had 14 corporate team members visiting from the Northeast. The group had learned about us through our favorite corporate events planner, BoomPop. The weather conditions were challenging, with easterly winds blowing at 10-16 mph…….
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.
