Kids’ Day, Portland, ME. The Atlantic Cup held its Portland Kids Day on Thursday. What a sight. 300 kids down on the Maine Wharf with the skippers of the Atlantic Cup Class 40 boats, volunteers from Sea Bags, Sailors for the Sea, Bainbridge, 11th Hour Racing, and The Maine Heritage Trust.
I don’t profess to know the answer to getting youth involved in sailing or understanding the world is our playground and that the ocean and waters of our earth need caretaking, but I do know if I spend time visiting them at their schools and invite them down to the sea, they get it. They generate sounds we don’t usually hear in today’s world; laughter, squeals of glee, gasps of wow and slaps of high five with Captain Dave.
At the end of the Atlantic Cup, over 2000 kids will have gotten a chance to experience our sailing world, a world many of them never knew existed.
Is this important? I think so. While powerbrokers fight, we’re holding ground by sharing our intimate experiences on the ocean with these kids who I hope will be the future leaders of the world.
Thanks, everyone for your help and thanks 11th Hour Racing for supporting us in doing this.
Dave Rearick
Atlantic Cup Kids Program Coordinator
11th Hour Racing Ambassador
