The breeze is back. Often July has a decent breeze along with the rainy season. Sometimes it even makes it’s way into the gaps between our slum dwellings. As a kid my Saturday’s were spent sailing down at Mordy (Mordialloc Creek, Melbourne). It was such a great experience that I’ve wanted to share it with our youth at the community centre for ages.

With so many soccer competitions on lately the kids have been busy on the weekends but the weekend before they had a break. It was a chance to take 16 of the younder kids to a pool nearby and teach them to swim. Then as a prize for two of the older teams last Saturday was a chance to go sailing, surfing and windsurfing.

Myself and Noon, one of the other centre staff were fortunate to meet up with the guys that run a windsurfing club out of Jomtien 2 hours away. They had compassion for these kids and wanted to help us out. Last Saturday about 20 of us packed into the ute and drove down.

Noon and I had checked out a council project using old Thai fishing sailing boats to introduce THais to sailing. Unfortunately when we went with the kids the skippers were all drunk. None of the kids had ever had this chance before.

The guys at Amara really helped us out. We had one instructor on a Hobie cat taking kids out for a sail. Another instructor showed kids how to surf on the latest craze, SUP (stand-up-paddle) boards and a couple of kayaks. Meanwhile the owner and myself helped the rest to learn winsurfing on a couple of beginner rigs. As you can see from the pics it was a blast. The boys can’t wait for the next chance.

Rod.

Thanks to Amara Watersports.
www.iwindsurf.asia