Over the past few years there have been several great stories of young people participating in sail training programs and ending up in a real adventures saving lives at sea. A few come to mind:
Sea Scout vessel Argus rescuing a scuba diver left behind
St. George’s School’s Geronimo rescuing a Polish sailor that had fallen off an ocean bound freighter
Sea Education Association’s rescue of some Haitian refugees.
Last week, a group of students from the Riviera Beach Maritime Academy were participating in a educational sailing adventure aboard the three master schooner Denis Sullivan when one of them spotted a flare on the horizon. It turned out to be from three fisherman in dire need of help. Riviera students on educational voyage help rescue imperiled boaters (Check out all of the comments) and Youth, school reap rewards for rescue.
In the January issue of Soundings Trade Only, Beth Rosenberg wrote a great article about the Riviera Beach Maritime Academy. At this charter school, nuts plus bolts equals jobs. This is a great program that demonstrates a valuable partnership between the maritime industry and traditional high school education. It helps fill a niche that benefits employers and the youth involved.
For young people, going to sea under sail is truly a life changing experience. The risk of the adventure can be directly correlated to the impact that it will have on the participant’s lives long into the future. Saving human lives in peril is a time honored responsibility and obligation of going to sea and the Riviera Beach Maritime Academy students will never forget their brief experience aboard the Denis Sullivan.
Technorati tags: Riviera Beach Maritime Academy, SSV Denis Sullivan, sail training, tall ships, experiential education, Sea Scouts, Argus, St. George’s, Sea Education Association
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