THERAPEUTIC SAILING

Today, we had six veterans out on the water, sailing in two boats with Coach Ella and me.

The wind forecast called for northeasterly winds of 10 to 15 knots. We started the session by sailing on a long port tack towards the west point of Key Biscayne, then turned north towards downtown.

As it turned out, we ended up sailing directly underneath the Rickenbacker Causeway bridge. We made it all the way to Brickell without taking a single tack! I’m not a golfer, but this is precisely what a hole-in-one feels like when you’re sailing.

Our Thursday Sailing program offers a vital therapeutic experience for our veterans and first responders. The proverb, "You can’t control the wind, but you can adjust your sails," could not be truer. For our participants, the destination matters, but the journey—finding a smooth, soothing course—matters just as much…..

Our scenic float plan included a long port tack towards Stiltsville, then Nixon’s Beach and Hurricane Harbor. On our way back, we sailed past Nixon’s Helicopter platform and other landmarks, such as the home featured in the movie Scarface and the Key Biscayne West Point. The sail home across the Bay was beautiful. We docked as scheduled at 2 PM. We continued our event on the second-floor breezeway of the US Sailing Center with some healthy snacks and refreshments. Time flies when having fun!

Veterans Sailing is back, and the enthusiasm is infectious! After a long stretch, we're finally seeing a spark of excitement that hasn't been this bright since before COVID.

We originally had six veterans signed up for this week's outing, planning to use two boats. As it turned out, we had a perfect four-person crew make it out onto the water in one boat, and what a session it was!

In progress