Writer/Producer:   Kristy Vaughn

Learning how to captain a sailboat answers the siren call of Southwest Florida’s waterways.  And at the Edison Sailing Center in Fort Myers, becoming an expert at maneuvering through light chop or currents can be achieved at an early age.  The Caloosahatchee River serves as the Sailing Center’s classroom, and instructors teach the kids how to hoist up their sails and go.  Kids develop discipline and self-esteem through a sailboat’s extensive prep work and the instructor’s rigorous sailing drills.  While these skills are important in life, they are also needed to prepare young sailors to compete in regattas.  The festival atmosphere created around the sailboat races encourages community and inspires camaraderie, so watching from the shore can be just as exciting as being hunkered down in the hull of a boat.  

Resources:

http://www.edisonsailingcenter.org/
Edison Sailing Center’s official website

http://www.boatsafe.com/kids/
Boat Safe Kids is a forum for kids to discuss and ask safety questions.

http://gulfcoastsailingclub.org/
Gulf Coast Sailing Club’s official website

http://www.cmcs-sail.org/
The Caloosahatchee Marching and Chowder Society’s (a sailing club) official website