Veterans Sailing
Magnus Liljedahl
Veterans Sailing 11/13, 2025

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.

Veterans Sailing 11/13, 2025
Veterans Sailing
Magnus Liljedahl
Veterans Sailing 10/30, 2025

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…..

Veterans Sailing 10/30, 2025
Veterans Sailing
Magnus Liljedahl
Veterans Sailing 10/23, 2025

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 10/23, 2025
Veterans Sailing
Magnus Liljedahl
Veterans Sailing 10/16, 2025

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!

Veterans Sailing 10/16, 2025
Youth Sailing, STEM
Magnus Liljedahl
SYSTEM S10-E2

In progress

SYSTEM S10-E2

SATURDAY YOUTH SAILING S4-E2

SATURDAY YOUTH SAILING S4-E2

It was a challenging day, but in the end, it was just another safe, fun learning experience for all of us. Like in other sports, key players are not always available to play. That doesn't mean that the match will be canceled, oh no. Instead, the game plan is adjusted, and the next player is up.

On Saturday, we faced 250 kids competing in a major sailing competition hosted by the Coral Reef Yacht Club, our next-door neighbor. Most boats sailed out of the US Sailing Center, where we are located. It was beyond crowded! We were somewhat under-staffed as well. How do we do this?

FUN DAY ON THE BAY S1-E2

FUN DAY ON THE BAY S1-E2

It was time for another episode of “Fun Day Sailing”. Team Paradise welcomed eleven new students and two counselors from the amazing school, the Miami Learning Experience. Some were familiar faces who had sailed with us a few years ago. We sailed across the Bay towards Key Biscayne, then turned around and headed for the Viscaya Musem. All along, we had Brickell and downtown Miami as the backdrop. It was scenic, for sure! We continued through the Deering Channel and made it around the Viscay waterfront driveway. Our journey continued along the Mercy Hospital waterfront, and we exited close to Grove Isle….

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USSC-City of Miami Parks Sailing 2023 Week 2

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USSC-City of Miami Parks Sailing 2023 Week 2

Serving 113 Campers in 10 Days

Great big thank you to everyone involved with putting the summer camp together. The US Sailing Center - Miami Parks Sailing for the worthwhile and rewarding initiative. Our volunteers worked diligently and put up a big effort on a daily basis. Ed, Mo, Josh, Jian, Maryna, Frankie, and Pickel, you are the best!

SUMMER CAMP WEEK 4

SUMMER CAMP WEEK 4

Our 2023 Summer Camp is completed! Each of the four weeks was great, but it’s fair to say that we saved the best for last. This group became smaller as a couple of siblings tested positive for Covid before the week began. Some of the campers attended all 4-weeks. Newbies to our program had never sailed, but they caught on quickly and blended in with our team in a big way. It’s rewarding when the campers develop friendships with each other, and based on how my life turned out, it could last forever.

SUMMER CAMP WEEK 3

SUMMER CAMP WEEK 3

Another day in paradise! We towed the RS Venture and RS Feva heading for Key Biscayne. Dolphins greeted us along the way. The shifty wind started to fill in, and the campers began sailing. Then we had a shower or two. We anchored up at the sandbar and had our picnic. Campers could not wait to hop in and explore. The sandbar became a classroom as Ed reached scouting skills. Then the skies turned dark over the mainland and to the south. Soon realized the two options we had, seek shelter in Hurricane Harbor….

SUMMER CAMP WEEK 1

SUMMER CAMP WEEK 1

The first week of summer camp is in the books. I trust that everyone had fun sailing with us. We had nine campers, and most of them had never sailed before. Impressive is how much they liked sailing and being on the water. They were brave, and most everyone had some tiller-time, steering the boat, trimming the sails, hiking off the boats, or with the trapeze. We managed to sail daily despite a challenging weather pattern, typical for this time of the year.

Our adventure was a shared experience! I can’t say enough about our volunteer staff, who helped make it happen. Valentina, Carolina, Mo, Ed, Dante, Josh, and Ed, thank you for making the week a success!

While we were on the water having fun, Susan diligently held down the fort. She monitored the radar and made us aware of anything coming our way. Thank you, Susan!

Season Finale

Season Finale

Saturday Youth Sailing is completed for the 2022-2023 school year. It began on October 1st. of last year. Since then, we have sailed on 24 Saturdays. It’s been an amazing experience, not only for the kids but for the coaching staff as well. I’m thrilled to have witnessed the transformation the kids have gone through. What began with a water comfort check ended up with the majority of the kids enjoying sailing and everyone loving Biscayne Bay.

Saturday Youth Sailing S3-E4

Saturday Youth Sailing S3-E4

It was perhaps our best-ever Saturday Sailing day, and here is why. Kids are awesome and get along with one-and-other. Our team is well-rehearsed. Boats and equipment were prepared well in advance, which is necessary for a quick departure. The sailing was purposeful, and everyone seemed eager to learn. The beginner group sailed the RS Venture all by themselves. The intermediate group caught on to it and sailed another RS Venture. What a sight! If sailing is music, we have begun to sound pretty good!

A great big Thank You to our volunteers and parents/guardians. Our program would not exist without you!

Saturday Youth Sailing S3-E3

Saturday Youth Sailing S3-E3

It doesn’t get much better than that. Add boats and great kids learning how to sail. That’s a perfect day! Running our Intermediate and Beginner programs at the same time works great. Our awesome volunteers make it all happen. Kids from diverse backgrounds share this healthy experience and play well together. Our focus is FUN and LEARNING in a SAFE environment. Check out the pictures below and see for yourselves.

blew-byou

Sailing excursion with Kerry Gruson

It was great to be out sailing with Kerry Gruson again. It’s been too long, Kerry used to own a Sonar named Blew Byou, and we sailed a lot together on Biscayne Bay. For the most part, it was aboard our competing boats…….

More about Kerry Gruson

Kerry is the co-founder of ThumbsUp International.org

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/vitality/202109/near-death-thriving-case-history-hope

Orange Bowl 2022

Orange Bowl 2022

Eleanor was nominated for her perseverance and toughness in her first regatta since suffering an injury at the Atlantic Coast Championship in October. Lara Dallman-Weiss selected Eleanor and presented her with the award during the Tuuci OBIYR award ceremony on December 30th.

During the award ceremony, Lara remarked, "It was an absolute honor to announce the 2022 Magnus Liljedahl Sportsmanship Award recipient. Eleanor Moore exemplified courage in many ways: after breaking her arm while helping a parent at the boat ramp, she gave her boat to another competitor with a damaged boat. Thinking of others while injured shows sacrifice, inclusiveness, and bravery. The sport of sailing must encourage our community to be happy for others'’ success; it is completely possible to teach and lift each other up and still be the fastest boat on the race course!" Congratulations Eleanor!