I backed Sea Wisdom off the slip and let the ten young sailors take command of the vessel. I stood, observed and tried not to intervene. They aimed toward the west into the sunset past the Golden Gate Bridge.
The sailors tacked, gybed and navigated around passing freighters. Their spirits were high even when we were in the rain and the sea was 5-7 feet with the current opposing the swell. I did not have to show them where all the lines were—they figured it out themselves. When they had questions, they would ask me with curiosity and I did not have to answer it a second time. They shared their knowledge among themselves. They were observant and appreciative of their surroundings, calling out a rainbow and passing porpoises. Some of them enjoyed getting wet from the swells breaking the bow of the boat. The passage in the dark from outside of the Golden Gate Bridge was not an easy one, and the sailors did everything correctly and safely to get the boat back to the marina.
Most importantly and my proudest moment: the young sailors were very courteous to each other, even while they had their teenager moments of having fun. The more experienced sailors looked after and helped the less experienced sailors. They all offered each other the chance to take turns skippering and crewing, so everyone got to take part. They were all eager to help, including when it came time to clean up the boat after we docked in the dark.
On Friday, unfortunately we did not get to sail. We ran aground at the harbor entrance and were not able to leave the marina due to a negative tide. It was a unique experience for the four young sailors aboard as none of them had ever ran aground while commanding a large vessel. They were all understanding of the situation and tried to be helpful.
It was such a rewarding experience. This doesn’t do the kids justice on how great they were. St Francis Yacht Club High School Sailing coaches Brent Harrill and Adam Corpuz-Lahne do an amazing job training these kids to be capable sailors, and the Bay School community fosters an environment where these kids can grow and become wonderful human beings. I am grateful to witness and experience it.
