Follow Our Journey! Alpha & Tango – Days 1 & 2

By Vada Harpool, Social Media

Yesterday marked the arrival of the first group of students at Hodges Creek Marina for the first Alpha Fleet summer program! The staff eagerly welcomed each student at the airport and again at Hodges. Then, boat assignments were announced and the kids were introduced to their captains and mates! Room assignments were also given, allowing everyone some time to meet their roommates and get settled. Our amazing boats on this program are Samoa, Topaz II, Betty’s Dream, Maora, and Jackalope!!

A delicious dinner of chicken, rice and beans, veggies, and coleslaw was served by staff to each boat group on land at the marina. The students also had the chance to engage in team bonding games, meet others from different boats, and build new friendships! Finally, everyone got to bed for a good night’s sleep to prepare for all the adventures to come!

The next morning, everyone awoke on their boats at Hodges Marina, filled with excitement to begin their journey and exploration. The morning kicked off with an introduction to ASA Sailing qualifications and a talk with the Sail Caribbean Divers. Afterward, each boat met with our founder, Mike, for his renowned welcome talk, where the students met all of the staff members on their fleet.

Students and staff then went back to their respected boats and began learning the essential predeparture checks as well as a lesson on de-docking! Once everyone on board got on their life jackets and finished their pre-departure checks, it was time to begin their first sail of the program! While underway, students learned winch safety, how to raise and lower the main sail and jib, and prepared lunch!

Next stop: Marina Cay! Students learned how to pick up a mooring ball, working on their communication with the skipper, problem-solving skills, and teamwork.

Once all boats were on the ball at Marina Cay, staff did a jellyfish check in the water. All was clear, so students and staff took their first swim! Some boats even brought out their paddle boards! The campers made some delicious burrito bowls for dinner, cleaned up the boat, and met for a boat meeting! The meeting consisted of discussing the day’s accomplishments and some fun bonding games! After a long day, everyone went to bed after boat meeting and dreamed of tomorrow’s activities: Colgates, diving, and water sports!!