Nemo squad hunt rori while learning to sail

Saturday’s sailing was the sixth activity of the Nemo squad – the pre-sailors from Rarotonga Sailing Club.

We were blessed with a light breeze and a glorious sunny day.

It was planned as part of the junior sailing day with Gold, Green and Nemo squads all meeting for a pancake brekkie and mixing for an hour of fun, then each of the three groups split up into their coaching and activity groups.

With several young sailors being promoted to Gold Fleet – the fibreglass racing Optimist vessels – this group is training very hard three to four times a week to prepare for selection to represent RSC at the Cook Islands national Optimist Championships in early April in Aitutaki.

The two best sailors from this group will go on to represent the Cook Islands in New Zealand at the NZ National Optimist Championships at Wakatere Club in Devonport.

The Green fleet assembled with their boats to take up training in the plastic Optimists under the watchful eye of Paul Pearson.

This group has strong support from parent coaches and is progressing really well.

Sailing development officers Junior Charlie and Helema Williams were on hand to assist as it is part of the New Zealand Aid programme Community Incentive Scheme.

The Nemo squad had a lot of fun learning about the rori as their focus is on lagoon life.

They split into three groups and with their carers went off into the lagoon armed with info to share and to find some rori.

It’s amazing how little we know about these great little lagoon cleaning machines.

After 20 minutes they were back to colour in their fact sheets and then it was off for a sail. Thanks to Peter T and Melina for skippering the Sunbursts full of excited kids!

After the sail, time for an off-the-beach race to swim around a buoy in the lagoon with their swimming vests on – an exercise which was really noisy with the swimmers going off in groups of five at a time and a lot of barracking!

Then it was boats and lifejackets to stow and the end of another great day on Muri lagoon though of course no one went home, as it was back into the water for lots more fun.

For information about the junior sailing programme, contact Tony 56599, Junior 52554 or Anne 54605.