Autism, Sailing, and a Video

[Loren Beach]

This summer several of our club members donated a day of sailing on their boats to "Heart of Sailing" and there is a little video up on UTube now. This was recorded aboard Magic, an E-32-3.

Here is a short explanatory quote form the video:
"Eric Hamblen of Project Pace, invited Sean on a Daysail out of the Rose City Yacht Club on the Columbia River between Portland and Vancouver. The sailing trip was arranged by Heart of Sailing heartofsailing.org, for children with autism. Sean was invited because he was the first child with autism Eric worked with! ProjectPace.info hopes to put together more of the sails, which are free!"
URL:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqMZ6ebULKM

The URL for the sponsor group:
http://www.heartofsailing.org/default.asp

I hope that you enjoy watching this little "adventure."

Best,

Loren in PDX

 

[bigtyme805]

That is great stuff, doesn't get any better than that.

 

[sleather]

The Cure?

Sailing has always been an excellent way to cure MY woes, but here's a little story.

A good friend of mine worked in a group home for "challenged" adults and was not shy about having her "charges" experience real life adventures. One day she "showed up" at my house with Mike(24, severe autism) and Eric(26,severe down syndrome). Both guys were ambulatory but required constant supervision. Getting them on the boat was a challenge!

It was a "perfect" day, 10mph rock steady breeze, not a cloud in the sky. The kind of day that the 23 loves, tie off the tiller and she'll sail a true course till she runs out of lake.

For most of the trip Mike sat cowering in the corner of the cockpit clutching the companionway, involved in his own little world, but taking everything in.

Eric, on the other hand, was extremely interested in what was going on, he sat opposite me at the helm. Pretty soon he was grabbing the tiller and sculling violently back and forth. Lacking communication skills it was a challenge getting him to do the right thing. After about 1/2 hour of both of us steering, he settled down and was "actually" getting the "feel" of feathering it upwind, and would not relinquish the helm(UH-UH). So be it, we sailed on for a couple of miles under "his" control. He had this kind of Herman Munster look as he "hunched" over the tiller, his eyes intently focused on the telltales. He actually picked up "tiller steering" faster than most people I've taught to sail.

I noticed a daysailer approaching (bow on) so my friend and I ducked down into the cabin and watched from the window. As the other boat approached they both smiled and waved, and then I noticed their expression change to one of "utter astonishment", here's this obviously handicapped person sailing across the lake without any supervision, and Mike huddled in the corner, looking like a seasick sailor. I really wish I had a video!!!!!!! Wonder what they told their friends?

Well it was a fun day and I'm sure the guys enjoyed it(neither one really talked much).
Eric did shake my hand and said "TANKS". My friend called me later to tell me that "during that sail" was the FIRST time she had ever seen Mike smile(every time we heeled up a bit), and Eric kept asking for STEEEEEF and telling everone that he was CAPPIN.

Buy the way, Eric "skipped" the rest of the day. I would just point out a direction, he would steer and I was "relegated" to sail trimming! That guy could "focus"!