Pirate Day Floatsom Contest

First Mates

The overcast weather today didn’t stop the First Mates from having a great time indoors and out! Since today was the WaterFront Center’s annual Pirate Day, we celebrated with a contest of sea vessels so fearsome it would intimidate even Blackbeard himself. With only a bag full of recyclable, floatable materials, some tape, scissors, and their imaginations, the First Mates got to work creating some very interesting vessels that they hoped would withstand the rough conditions out in the bay. The atmosphere was tense as the kids worked tirelessly to get their vessels just right, hoping to be dubbed to the most worthy pirate here at the WaterFront Center.

Once they had completed their ship-building, the kids headed to Beekman Beach to test out their creations. They lined up on the beach, awaiting the signal to send their ships into the water, and at the start began blowing, making waves, and trying everything to get their boats moving without using their hands - it was an exciting scene! The first round winner was Jack, whose very flotatious boat withstood the rough waters of Oyster Bay. The second round winner was Courtney, who used a variety of materials to make her boat practically indestructible. Congratulations to all who competed, and happy Pirate Day - argh!!

Beachcombing

Beachcombing

With perfect weather and an appetite for adventure, the Sound Swashbucklers were bound to have a good time on the beach today! Instead of kayaking, the kids spent their afternoon exploring the beach for sea creatures and other discoveries. Using seine nets and dip nets, they fished for eels and crabs, and were excited to find a variety of animals, shells, and sea debris that they added to their buckets, and to the Touch Tank. 

Among their discoveries was a large welk, a tiny baby horseshoe crab, and several large American eels! The kids couldn’t have been happier than they were just exploring the beach, asking questions about the various sea creatures and getting sandy and wet throughout their adventure. Squeals of excitement could be heard across the beach when they pulled in a seine net filled with animals and shells - you would have thought they found buried treasure! It was clear that these guys are super enthusiastic about what they’ve learned so far at the junior summer program, and I had a great time hanging out with them!

Gone Fishin'

This morning, the Bay Buccaneers group kicked back, relaxed, and went on their own personal fishing trip here at the WaterFront Center. It was a hot morning, but the kids nonetheless enjoyed their time out on the pier, relaxing and enjoying the suspense of waiting for the fish to bite! Lucky for us, there were quite a few hungry fish in the water, and our group caught several of them before releasing them back into the ocean. The Bay Bucs were super excited to catch some fish, and had a great morning hanging out!

Thomas casts a line!

Evan examines his first catch of the day.

Sophie and her catch

A Day At the Beach

A Day at the Beach with Operation Exodus

It was the perfect day for a trip to the beach, and lucky for us Operation Exodus stopped by to learn about Oyster Bay’s marine environment, and get their feet wet with some fun shore activities! The group of 60 kids, who ranged from second graders to seventh graders, arrived this morning ready to brave the heat and enjoy the beach, and as we headed out to Beekman Beach to examine the environment a little more closely, the kids were excited for their adventure. The first part of the day was spent walking the beach, looking closely at the sand to see what they could find, and learning about the many different animals that can be found on the beach, in the water, and in the small tide pools that form during low tide. The older group was fascinated with the mud snails, which can be found on the beach at low tide. 

The group then had the chance to do some sniggling - trying to catch American eels with nets in the river. These eels, which are small, slimy, and harmless, hide out during the day under rocks, and hunt fish at night - we had some luck catching a few, and got to get up close and personal with them once we had put them safely in buckets. The kids were super enthusiastic to get to see these animals up close, and screamed with excitement as the little eels swam into their nets from under the rocks - pretty cool!

We left the water shortly after, and took a seat in the shade to become more familiar with a few more animals from the touch tank. Both the younger group and the older group sat beneath a tree by the beach to learn about horseshoe crabs, spider crabs, sea stars, and a few other animals that can be found here in Oyster Bay. The kids were eager to touch and hold the animals, and remained enthusiastic (but still respectful!) as they passed the mussels and snails from hand to hand, and had a blast getting to know our resident sea creatures! “They had a good time,” said one of their counselors, who added that despite the heat, the kids truly enjoyed their day on the shore. Operation Exodus, based in Manhattan, is a program for New York City youth that gives them the chance to get out of the city and do different activities throughout the summer. We were delighted to host this week’s adventure for the group, and hope to see them again soon!

Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club

Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club: Sailor Extroardinaires!

The young sailors of the Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club had a great morning of sailing today, with solid breeze and warm weather that made for excellent racing conditions! The enthusiastic campers are in their second week of a two week long sailing camp through the Boys & Girls Club, and are clearly learning a lot - their Sonars were sailing smooth this morning as they raced each other and the students of Nassau Community College, and were having a blast doing it. 

Darren, the kids’ counselor from Grenville Baker, joined me on the boat to take some pictures of his own, and explained how much the kids enjoy getting out on the water each day and trying a new activity: “The kids have a lot of fun, that’s all that matters,” he said. The kids come from all over the area to participate in this summer program, and definitely seem to be taking advantage of the opportunity to get out on the water and learn how to sail. The four Sonars were flying in the morning breeze, and the kids were loving every minute of it - I watched from the boat as they worked their muscles getting those sails trimmed in, and enjoyed the cool sea spray on their faces that was a certain relief from the heat. 

It was obvious that these kids were enjoying themselves, and I hope they have enjoyed their two weeks sailing with us here at the WaterFront Center!

Smooth Sailing

It’s been a scorching few days here a the WaterFront Center, and without much wind it’s been a tough week for sailing. Yesterday, however, despite the blistering heat and dead breeze, our young sailors found every way possible to cool off and have a great time! I got caught in the middle of all-out water war, with the Skipper PiXel group pitted against the fearsome Skipper Opti group. The short-lived battle ended with both sides satisfied - mostly because they had finally cooled off!

Getting caught in the middle of a water war can be scary, but very refreshing on such a hot day!

Today, the breeze filled in for us and made for some great sailing conditions for the PiXel and Opti 1 groups. The sailors made the most of the excellent wind, practicing upwind sailing, tacking, and gybing with instructor Mo. I jumped in to help from time to time, offering some pointers for smooth upwind sailing and clean tacks - the bread and butter of being a great sailor! It seems, however, that they don’t even need much of my advice - these young sailors were doing an amazing job, sailing smoothly through puffs and becoming more comfortable with their points of sail. 

Julia, one of the Opti 1 sailors, seemed to be struggling a bit with her upwind sailing and tacks, but after a few minor adjustments and some practice, we had her sailing like a pro! She did a great job paying attention and showed a lot of improvement by the end of the day, even as the breeze continued to pick up. The Opti 1 group is a dedicated group of young sailors, and it seems like they’re on their way to becoming pro sailors by the end of the week!

Julia works on her sailing skills this afternoon in the Opti 1 group.

Soundswash SUP

Stand-Up Paddleboarding with the Sound Swashbucklers!

Today the Sound Swashbucklers, headed by Julie and Kristen, got the chance to cool off in the bay doing some stand-up paddleboarding - and it was the perfect remedy for a hot afternoon! The kids headed out with the instructors and bravely got on their feet, paddling along the shore and getting the chance to see the bay in a whole new way. While a few kids paddleboarded, the rest got a few minutes to cool off in the water, and anxiously awaited their turn on the boards. They did a great job, and had an awesome time trying out a new activity!

Featured Skipper!

Featured Skipper: John Petrakis

While hanging out with the Skipper PiXel group last week, I couldn’t help but notice a very enthusiastic sailor who seemed like a great pick for this week’s featured Junior Summer participant! John Petrakis, who turns 13 this coming Sunday, began sailing here at the WaterFront Center last year in Optis, and loved it so much he came back this summer to try something bigger and bolder - the PiXels. “I like being out on the water,” he said, adding that his other favorite activities include swimming and rowing. When asked what made him come back for more adventures at the WFC, John said, “I love sailing and wanted to keep doing it.” John is going into the eighth grade, and says without any hesitation that his favorite subject is math. His best sailing moment, he says, was in Newport, when the Captain of the 71 foot boat he was on let him sail it alone - very cool! It seems that sailing is in John’s future, as he says he plans on continuing to learn and practice the skills he’s acquired here at the WFC. In the meantime, John is an enthusiastic and outgoing member of the Skipper group, who is also an attentive listener and capable sailor. We hope you have a great week, John! Keep up the good work!

Identifying seaweed with the other Skippers last week.

Sailing with his crew last week.

FUN with Bay Bucs!

The Bay Buccaneers, the WFC’s youngest group of Junior Summer participants, had an exciting last two days of their session - sailing, rowing, and meeting animals was all part of their adventurous week, and they were a great group of kids to spend a couple of days with!

Cole, Matthew, and Charlie on the Christeen Friday.

On Thursday, the Bay Bucs went for a leisurely row off of Beekman Beach, where they peered through the water to see what creatures they could find lurking beneath the surface of the bay. As instructor Andrew rowed, the kids got the chance to kick back and relax while enjoying the many wonders of the bay, and they had a great time! 

Jack and his brother Sam hanging out on the beach

However much fun they had kicking back in a rowboat, nothing could beat what was coming next: a visit from the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary, and a few of its residents. The kids had the chance to meet a corn snake, an owl, a wood turtle, and a Madagascar hissing cockroach, and learn about their respective roles in the ecosystem. Out of respect for the animals, I decided not to snap any photos - but I can assure you that the Bay Bucs had an awesome time, and were truly fascinated by these cool creatures!

On their last day of the session, the Bay Bucs went on another great adventure, this time with Captain Pete, on the Christeen. The kids were eager to help out as we got the boat under sail, and did a great job using teamwork to get the sails up and the ship sailing. The Bay Bucs were excited for their sail, and learned all about the ship and its history from Captain Pete as we sailed out past the WaterFront Center. Once we had sailed out far into the bay, I got to read the kids a seafaring story, and afterwards they did an activity to help them tune in to their senses while sailing through the bay. The kids were great listeners, and an awesome group to hang out with on the Christeen for the morning! They were excited to learn about the ship and the bay, and were all smiles even as we headed back to shore. 

A very silly group shot of the Bay Bucs!

All in all the Bay Bucs had a great week, filled with new and exciting adventures that I was happy to share with them!

More Photos

Nicholas with his new invention, the grapesicle. They were all the hit at the Bay Bucs snack time on the Christeen.

Christopher, Nicholas, and Thomas enjoying their sail.

Jack doing the activity on the Christeen.

A Sailors Life for Me!

I’ve had a great time the past couple of days out on the water with the Skippers, as both an observer to the PiXel and Opti groups and the occasional extra hand when things got crazy! It’s been a windy week, and the two groups did a great job keeping their cool even in hairy situations.

The PiXel group sailing Tuesday afternoon.

First, I spent a day helping out the PiXels - though it was only the second day of the session, the sailors did a great job and proved that they knew exactly what they were doing. The first drill they completed was to test basic skills and make sure the group would be comfortable in heavier breeze, on their own. After rigging their boats, instructors Alex and Andries sent them on a quick sail around a mark and back to make sure they got the basics. Of course it was a breeze for everyone, so we went the enthusiastic group out for more sailing, including a Follow-the-Leader drill to practice basic tacking, gybing, and steering skills. The sailors nailed it, and ended the day on a good note. One PiXel sailor said the conditions were slightly difficult because the breeze was puffy and inconsistent, but they did a great job handling it and I had a blast helping out!

Yesterday I spent time with the younger and less experienced Skipper group, the Optis, led by Holly and Brent. The breeze was up, and despite being a little intimidated by the heavier winds, the kids did an awesome job staying on track and practicing all their skills in some great conditions. A few capsizes were no problem for this positive and fun group of sailors, who seemed to be having a great time sailing even if they did spent a little time in the water rather than on it! Mostly this group practiced the basics, and a few drills to introduce them to racing. They were all smiles throughout the afternoon, and braved the heavy breeze with optimism!

Bailing out after a capsize - use those arm muscles!