1999 Nevin Sayre FREE Windsurfing Kids Camp

SPONSORED BY: HowlingBird Studios, Creative Creamery - "Ice Cream Rick", American Windsurfer, Calema Boardsailing, Cape Cod Windsurfing Association, DaKine, Fiberspar, Inc., New England Windsuring Journal, Shred Threads, and Windsurfing Magazine.

WEST DENNIS -- Saturday, July 10, 1999. The event: Nevin Sayre's FREE Windsurfing Kids Camp. The place: West Dennis Beach, in the marshy lagoon behind the ocean. The day started out overcast and humid, as if Weather wanted to curtail the enthusiasm of the participants'. At times it even threatened to rain, as if that would put a wet blanket on their spirits. But such effect was not to be observed, for nothing short of a hurricane could have dampered their determination to have fun.

The first thing I noticed when I arrived, a little past 8:30am, was the big American Windsurfing truck, next to which a tent was set up and where people gathered. I could not help but notice the excited young faces that greeted me as I approached the crowd. Not a coffee drinker, I had been still lethargic from getting up so early. But seeing and feeling all this youthful energy emanating from each an every kid I encountered, I was soon awakened from my semi-soporific state by this contagious mood. Unasked and undirected, I quickly made myself useful and carried several WindGliders down to the shore of the cove.

It was readily apparent that kids were plentiful, and that parents were as plentifully excited as the kids. The kids' were exuding palpable excitement and their parents could hardly contain theirs. Perhaps the only person whose verve surpassed the rest of those present was Nevin Sayre, the event's namesake himself. Although he claimed to have never done this sort of thing before, the smoothness with which he handled each item on the agenda betrayed his modesty. Granted, he had abundant help from eager members of the windsurfing communities(from as far as Florida even) and numerous proud parents, but, like the cacophony that ensues in an orchestra without a conductor, absent his expert coordination, the event would have been utter chaos. To be sure, with all the kids running around agog, some present would insist it was indeed chaotic, and I would be inclined to agree. However, it was orderly chaos. And this was entirely due to the presence of Nevin.

After all the preliminaries, the event was under way at 10:00AM sharp. It was a testament to the cohesiveness of the New England windsurfing community to see so many willing volunteers instructing even more kids. Although there were volunteers left without students, they did not mind, for they had the pleasure of watching the sometimes comical spectacle that no doubt brought back memories of their own early days of learning to windsurf. Mom's and dad's faces were beaming with parental esteem.

As the day carried on, the sun peered through and the wind picked up, a sign of Weather acknowledging that our goal of having fun could not be deterred. At the first session's end at noon, most kids wondered if they could sail more. As another sign of Nevin's perspicacity on puerile mentality, the mention of ice cream seemed to have diverted this potentially disastrous situation. Two more sessions followed in the afternoon and next morning, and both went just as well as the first, if not better. In the end, everyone involved got something out of it, one way or another.

What was this event really like to the kids? Well, since I am not a kid(except perhaps at heart), I can only say what I observed and felt. As an "instructor" I had ineffable fun showing my "student" the ways of windsurfing, and shared in their pride of success and frustration of temporary failure when they succeeded or failed in doing according to my "pointer" that allowed them to go just a few feet when the wind blew. When the wind momentarily stopped blowing, as I was immersed, calve-deep, in the water, I told my "student" how difficult it was to walk in the water because of the muck. Not believing me, he tried it himself and an amused smile came across his face as he sank in the soft boggy bottom, feet awash in mud.

It was a day of firsts for many, but for some, both adults and children, it was more than just a mere attempt at a new sport. For some, they found a passion; for others, a realization of life's most rewarding experience. For what can be more gratifying than to see children discovering a way of life that is so high in quality, so sublime, something whose virtue you had wished you could share, on a magnanimous day, with others. And you did, that weekend.

-James F. Tau

A Letter to the sponsors...

Dear Sponsors of the Nevin Sayre Kid's Camp, July 10-11 at West Dennis Beach,

The Kid's Camp came off as a resounding success and you sponsors should take great pride in your participation. Thank you for your faith. Over the three sessions 206 kids learned how to windsurf and I'm sure many of them are now hooked. We tried to limit the Camp to 150 kids but it just wasn't possible. Every goal I had was achieved. Tinho Dornellas of Calema Windsurfing did a terrific job with the on-the-water instruction and there were some forty volunteers (many from CCWA) at each session who totally understood the spirit and seized the day. The kids not only learned a lot from the instructors, but they inspired each other to enjoy windsurfing. Parents aside, the number of kids and volunteers make the Kid's Camp one of the biggest windsurfing events on the East Coast in 1999.

Kids like cool stuff and cool stuff they got. At the graduation ceremonies each kid got a shirt from HowlingBird Studios of Falmouth designed by Stina with Curious George and other children's book characters windsurfing. They also were decked out with either a cool waist pack or hat from DaKine and some got a t-shirt from Shred Threads- an unsolicited donation. U.S. Sailing donated certification cards that served as "diplomas" at graduation. Every kid also got a party bag with magazines, Learn to Windsurf Right, posters, and stickers. To top it off, everyone was treated at the beach with gourmet ice cream from Ice Cream Rick at Creative Creameries. Needless to say this was huge.

American Windsurfer brought 30 Windgliders which were available at a discount after the event. With all the stoked parents and kids, probably 30 more would have gone if available. Windglider also loaned us 24 kid's size sails for the event. Dianne and the American Windsurfer staff were instrumental with the advance registration. Thank you to American Windsurfer, New England Windsurfing Journal and Windsurfing Magazine for running ads to promote the event. (I had planned to go to Cape Cod schools to promote the event, but found the response was so big I didn't dare to.... Thank God I didn't.) Thank you to Cape Cod Windsurfing and Fast Eddie for providing the loud hailer and facilitating with liability insurance. Thank you to Jack Quinn of O'Neill for providing the registration tent and lending wetsuits to the kids. Thank you to Fiberspar for buying some of the shirts and giving me the time to pursue this dream. Thanks to Jonathan, Rick and Bob at Fiberspar for covering for me. Thanks to Marc Lefebvre and Anne Phelan for their tireless enthusiasm with the CCWA. Without the CCWA and their newsgroup it would have been difficult to tie in volunteers, and without the volunteers this event could not have happened.

We all can take pride in the success of the event. I know just watching the faces on the first ten kids as they sheeted in on their first reach made all the effort worthwhile.

-Nevin Sayre