Summer camps often require careful negotiations between parent and child, but the sailing camp at the Irish National Sailing School was a big hit for SYLVIA THOMPSON'Sdaughter
LET’S GET something straight from the start. Parents sign their offspring up for summer camps to keep them busy and (hopefully) to give them a chance to learn or improve on their skills.
Children join camps because their parents have booked them in. Whether they enjoy them or not depends largely on how friendly or relaxed the camp leaders are and even more importantly, how well they get on with their fellow campers.
What they learn usually comes down their list of priorities.
So, as I drove my 14-year-old daughter down the West Pier in Dún Laoghaire to the Irish National Sailing School (INSS) summer camp a few weeks ago and she announced that this was the “last camp” I was signing her up for, I thought I had pushed things too far. However, even at the end of the first day – which reputedly covers the most boring introductory stuff – she and her friend were enthusiastic beginners.
They were lucky because the sun shone all week and if you’re at a sailing camp, sunshine and yes wind, are the crucial unpredictables.
We parents don’t worry though because aren’t they out in the fresh air all day long and yes, they are all wearing life jackets when they are on those tiny little toppers and picos bopping up and down in Dublin Bay.
The INSS camps run from 9am to 5pm each day. The children are placed together in groups of two or three, according to age and not ability, with each instructor looking after at least six campers. Often, there are three, four, five or even six children in a boat together. So, what’s it like for them?
“It was my first sailing camp and I thought it would be hard, but once you got used to steering the boat, it was easy,” says Kate (10).
“I’ve done art, cooking and Gaelic camps before, but this is more exciting,” says Isabel (11). “The best part was capsizing,” say Molly (11) and Isabel (10), to nods from the other girls.
Making sure you don’t crash into the other boats or get stung by jellyfish when you do fall in are other hazards, the girls mention.
“We’ve all got farmers’ tans,” says James (13), who adds that the camp is good when there’s wind – otherwise it’s boring.
“It’s a bit repetitive. I’ve done this camp loads of times before, but my mum thinks it’s healthy to be outside,” adds Harry (13).
Some of the others in the group start comparing the camp’s facilities with nearby yachting clubs (temperature of the showers, etc).
This year, many of the membership-only clubs – such as the Dún Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club – are relaxing their rules to offer temporary membership to children who partake in their sailing courses.
Niall Martin, manager of INSS says the aim of the school’s sailing course is to introduce children to the sport in a fun, relaxed way in a structured and safe environment.
“Every child will achieve something tangible and be challenged within their experience,” he says.
Learning how to rig the boat, how to sit on it and how to recover it when it capsizes are the early skills.
The INSS expects to have some 3,500 children come through their 12-week summer programme this year.
As for my 14-year-old, well, she and her friend signed up for a second week, had more fun than they thought possible and made lots of new friends.
Would I recommend it to others? Yes – but, only if you’ve got at least one buddy to join you.
The Irish National Sailing School is running five-day courses until August 27. Prices start at €179 per child per week, with reductions for multiple children or multi-week courses
