All’s well that ends well!
Our harbor is under remodeling. A massive barge with a gigantic crane partially blocks the entrance, and all the docks are being replaced. What used to be our welcoming waterfront is now a jagged edge of rocks and murky water. Our facility is bustling with activity, but without a control tower or central coordinator, boats come and go, and everyone is doing their best to stay out of each other’s way. The wind was gusting hard out of the southeast at about 20 knots.
Then there is the uncertainty, wondering who will show up. To save my sanity, I often compare myself to a coach of a major team sport who doesn’t always have their top players available, sometimes due to injury or other reasons. There is no such thing as canceling. You scramble the roster, and it's "the next player up."
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There was also the accountability factor. A small issue came up—one that could’ve gone either way. We faced one another with honesty. And in that moment, we passed muster, not in the military sense, but in the way that truly matters: as a team willing to take responsibility, support each other, and grow together.
Our kids and instructors form a remarkably cohesive group. I’d love for them to stay with us forever, keep sailing, and grow up on the water—but I know that’s unrealistic. I do hope that something sticks: the teamwork, the trust, the skills, the joy. I hope they remember us and what they learned, and feel we understood them.
Maybe I was overthinking the day, but it wouldn’t be the first time. I made a conscious decision; I took rushing out of the equation. When you rush, bad things happen. So, we waited for the coast to clear, then slowly and safely, both of our RS Ventures were towed out of the harbor—without sails hoisted—through the construction zone, and onward to Paradise Island 305. Once clear, the sails went up and sailed out into Biscayne Bay.
Then, Moe and Charlie, aboard our Boston Whaler coach boat, returned to help launch the Next Level sailors. David and I stayed aboard the Castoldi safety boat, shadowing the RS Ventures. My tide turned when both RS Ventures quickly and cleanly lined up for our classic “lining-up” shot (see image at the bottom of the page). This small act felt like a big win and provided huge relief. We were in sync, and everyone was smiling. (Check out the video and pictures below.)
We returned to 305 and dropped anchor. Soon after, the Next Level sailors reached us and rotated in, taking some of our SYSTEM sailors out sailing. From the bottom of my heart, I can say: we worked through some pretty heavy stuff today, and came out on top.
Best STEM teacher ever:
As usual, today’s STEM lesson was excellent. Miss JD hit it out of the park. She created a diorama box, a miniature three-dimensional scene built inside a box or container….
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Key features of a diorama box:
Three-dimensional: Unlike flat drawings or photos, dioramas have depth—objects and figures are arranged in layers to create a realistic scene.
Box or enclosed space: Typically made inside a shoebox, cardboard box, or small wooden crate.
Miniature scale: Small models of people, animals, vehicles, or buildings are used.
Scene-based: Dioramas often show a historical event, natural habitat, book scene, or science concept.
Examples:
A desert ecosystem diorama for a science project, with sand, cacti, and model animals.
A Civil War battle scene with tiny soldiers and terrain.
A sailing diorama showing boats on Biscayne Bay with water, waves, and clouds.Description text goes here
Everyone is getting better. None is going in reverse.
Take another look at the pyramid below. It illustrates what it takes to build a strong, successful team. Today proved that we’re on the right track.
Lesson learned (and added below):
One hand for yourself, and one hand for the boat.
Lessons learned
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Always ask your coach for permission before boarding.
Keep one hand for yourself and the other for the boat.
Identify your path and take your time. Rushing increases the risk of slipping or losing balance.
Be prepared for a jump or step. Transfer your body weight carefully.”
Keep your body weight centered. Land with your weight centered vertically. Let gravity work downward, not sideways. To avoid skidding, land with your foot flat and directly under your body.
Prevent lateral movement.
Use a handhold whenever possible.
Grab a secure object, such as a shroud, a railing, or even a teammate’s hand or shoulder, to help you balance during the transfer.
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Think Safety! If an accident occurs, inform the coaching staff immediately. It is super important to do so! Do not procrastinate, delay, or think that whatever happened is not severe enough. Please let us make that decision.Item description
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The tidal flow in Biscayne Bay is interesting because it differs from places with bigger tides like New England or the Pacific Northwest.
Here's a simple breakdown:
Tidal Range: Biscayne Bay has a small tidal range — usually about 1.5 to 2.5 feet between high and low tide. It’s a microtidal system.
Flow Direction:
When the tide rises (flood tide), ocean water flows westward into the bay through the passes (like Government Cut, Norris Cut, Bear Cut, and the inlets down by Key Biscayne and further south).. Along our shoreline, it flows from Brickell toward Dinner Key
When the tide falls (ebb tide), water flows eastward out of the bay back to the Atlantic Ocean. Along our shoreline, it flows from Dinner Key towards Brickell.
Speed:
Tidal currents are gentle compared to open ocean areas. Typically around 0.5 knots or less in most of the bay. Near the cuts (like Norris Cut near Fisher Island) it can be faster — up to 2–3 knots.Special Features:
The bay is shallow, often only a few feet deep outside marked channels.
There are also influences from wind — strong winds (especially from the east or southeast) can push water into the bay, making the tides seem "higher" or "later" than predicted.
Freshwater inflows (like from canals after rain) can also affect the bay’s water movement, especially in the northern parts.
Timing:
Tide times can differ slightly across different parts of the bay. For example, high tide at the north end (like near Haulover Cut) might occur a bit earlier than high tide at the south end near Card Sound.
In short:
Rising tide = ocean water flows into Biscayne Bay.
Falling tide = bay water flows out to the ocean.
Flow strength is light in open areas, faster near cuts and channels.
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Don't sail away from the group—stick together!
When we stay close, we stand out and become more visible to oncoming boat traffic. Safety starts with awareness, and staying in formation helps everyone stay safe.If someone capsizes or falls behind—wait up!
We look out for each other on the water.
We're a team, and we sail as one.tem description -
Want to get back to the dock sooner rather than later? Aim for your destination!
Sailing the shortest and most direct route is not only smart—it’s often necessary.There are plenty of good reasons:
⛵ We may want to beat the rush back to the dock.
🌩 A thunderstorm may be approaching.
🕓 Or maybe it’s just time to wrap up a great day on the water.Sail with purpose. Stay focused. Head home smart.Item description
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Flogging the sails refers to a situation where the sails are flogging uncontrollably in the wind. It could be any sail, main, jib, or spinnaker. This usually happens when a boat is head-to-wind or tied to a mooring or a dock. The remedy is to trim the sail in or lower it.
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Hull Damage – Running aground can cause severe damage to the hull, leading to leaks, structural issues, or even sinking.
Propeller and Rudder Damage – The propeller, rudder, and keel can be severely damaged, affecting maneuverability and performance.
Crew and Passenger Safety – A sudden stop from grounding can cause injuries, especially if people are moving around the boat.
Stranding and Rescue Risks – A grounded boat may become stuck, requiring costly and time-consuming rescue efforts.
Environmental Harm – Grounding can damage fragile ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrass beds, or marine habitats.
Legal and Financial Consequences – In some areas, damaging marine environments can result in fines or liability for restoration costs.
Loss of Control – Once aground, the boat may be vulnerable to wind, waves, and tides, making recovery more difficult.
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Personal Preparation and Safety
Wear protective clothing, sunscreen, and a hat.
Wear closed-toe shoes.
Wear a US Coast Guard-approved life jacket with a safety whistle attached.
Identify three program safety rules.
Identify emergency steps on land and water.
Towing
Check your bow line for towing.
Hand your bow line to the instructor safely.
Steer the boat in-line and keep it flat while attached to a tow line.
Recoil and stow the bow line after release.
Capsize Recovery
Stay with the boat, untangle the mainsheet, and swim to the centerboard.
Press down on the daggerboard/centerboard/leeboard to upright the boat.
Get back into the boat.
Identify three ways to prevent capsizing.
Identify three capsize safety guidelines.
Demonstrate recovery from a turtle position.
Overboard Rescue
Alert others by saying "Crew Overboard!"
Keep visual contact and point if possible.
Tack to return to the person/object in the water.
Stop in a safety position with the person on the windward side.
Retrieve the person over the stern or pick up the object.
Review Beginner Sailing Skills
Review completed Phase 1, 2, and 3 Beginner Sailing Skills.
Understanding Wind
Define "puff" and identify two visual cues.
Define "lull" and identify two visual cues.
Parts of the Boat
Identify common boat parts (windward, leeward, transom, gooseneck, etc.).
Identify boat-specific parts.
Identify standing vs. running rigging.
Parts of the Sail & Control Lines
Identify three types of telltales.
Demonstrate how outhaul, cunningham, boom vang, and halyard affect sail shape.
Mast Rake
Identify when the mast is raked forward, backward, or neutral.
Adjust mast rake using rigging.
Steering with Rudder, Body Weight & Sails
Hold a steady course with the tiller while adjusting body and sail trim.
Steer up/down using body weight.
Steer up/down using sail trim.
Controlling Speed
Ease sails to slow the boat.
Stop completely head-to-wind.
Stop completely on a reach.
Speed up by trimming in sails and moving the tiller.
Controlling Heel
Maintain a flat boat using sail trim and body weight.
Demonstrate "Ease, Hike, Trim" in moderate winds.
Departures & Landings
Sail backward for three boat lengths.
Quickly transition from sailing backward to forward.
Sailing Backwards
Sail backward under mainsail power.
Transition quickly back to forward sailing.
Phase 2 Sailing Skills
Adjust body position, tiller, and mainsheet.
Steer using tiller/tiller extension.
Avoid collisions ("Tiller Towards Trouble").
Using Telltales
Name three telltale locations.
Adjust course and sail trim based on telltales.
Points of Sail
Identify all points of sail and their sail trim/degrees from wind.
Demonstrate all points of sail with proper trim.
Upwind & Downwind Sailing
Hold a close-hauled course.
Tack three times upwind.
Hold a broad reach course.
Jibe three times downwind.
Adjust blades (centerboard, daggerboard, or leeboard).
No Wind Kinetics
Quickly flatten the boat with body weight.
Demonstrate continuous rocking in no wind.
Sailing a Course
Sail around buoys.
Sail within a confined area.
Round a buoy without touching it.
Weather Awareness
Identify three signs of bad weather.
Identify basic cloud types.
Identify sea breeze vs. land breeze.
Water Awareness
Describe how current and tide affect course.
Differentiate between flood and ebb tide.
Identify boat draft location.
Read depths on a navigation chart.
Float Plan
Record weather forecast, current, and tide before sailing.
Navigation
Identify navigation aids (buoys, markers, hazards, etc.).
Read navigation charts.
Explain "Red-Right-Returning" for waterway entry/exit.
Rules of the Road
Identify right-of-way between:
Starboard vs. port sailboats.
Leeward vs. windward sailboats.
Overtaken vs. overtaking vessels.
Using a Compass
Identify intercardinal directions (NE, NW, SE, SW).
Read compass degrees (N=0, E=90, S=180, W=270, etc.).
Knots & Line Handling
Cow Hitch (Tie, undo, and give an example of its use).
Coiling (Coil and uncoil a line neatly).
Round Turn & Half Hitches (Tie, undo, and give an example).
Heaving & Receiving a Line (Demonstrate safe handling).
Sheet Bend (Tie, undo, and give an example).
Clove Hitch (Tie, undo, and give an example).
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A Portuguese Man o’ War (Physalia physalis) is a marine organism often mistaken for a jellyfish, but it’s actually a siphonophore—a colonial organism made up of specialized polyps that function together as a single creature.
Key Features:
Floating Gas-Filled Bladder: It has a translucent, blue, or purple gas-filled bladder (pneumatophore) that sits above the water, acting like a sail to catch the wind.
Long, Venomous Tentacles: Below the surface, it has tentacles that can extend up to 165 feet (50 meters), though they are usually around 30 feet (10 meters). These tentacles are covered in nematocysts that deliver a painful, venomous sting to prey and potential threats.
Drifting Lifestyle: The Man o’ War has no means of propulsion and moves with ocean currents and winds.
Danger to Humans:
The sting can be excruciatingly painful and sometimes dangerous, causing skin welts, allergic reactions, or even breathing difficulties in severe cases.
Tentacles can still sting even after being detached or washed up on the beach.
Where It’s Found:
Warm ocean waters, including the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.
Common in Florida, the Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico.
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Seaweed floating in the ocean is most commonly referred to as Sargassum; a type of brown algae that can form large, floating mats on the ocean surface, providing habitat for various marine life and often found in tropical and subtropical waters.
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Trust one another
Engage in unfiltered conflict around ideas
Commit to decisions and plans of action
Hold one another accountable for delivering against those plans
Focus on the achievement of the collective results
It’s a win-win
Thank you to our incredible volunteers, students, teachers, parents, caregivers, and generous benefactors for helping make my dream a reality. ❤️
F.Y.I SYSTEM=SAILING+YOUTH+STEM
@healthylittlehavana, @careelementary, @damianpardod2, @coconutgroveelementary
NEXT LEVEL HOMEWORK
Consider this homework. I’m urging the NEXT LEVEL sailors to scroll to the bottom of the page and study what‘s there. From now on, we must line up together every Saturday we sail. What else? Oh yes, what are the five dysfunctions of a Team? We will be quizzing you on it
LET’S HAVE FUN, BE SAFE AND LEARN A BUNCH
Lining up! This is what’s you should look like. Each boat is not overlapped, but at the very least, they are in the same picture frame, the sails are trimmed correctly and they are all pointing in somewhat the same direction. Let's do it!
Encourage your sailor to learn more, and please visit our online classroom. https://www.teamparadise.org/classroom and https://www.teamparadise.org/next-level-coaching
Checkout our new boats!
Visit our 2025 RS FEST MIAMI BLOG