Te Uki Ou kids learn to sail

A group of lucky Apii Te Uki Ou school students got to spend lunch time on Monday learning to sail on Muri lagoon.

The students will spend the next eight weeks learning to sail with their first lessons on Monday dedicated to understanding the parts of the Optimist yacht and most importantly safety at sea.

Students from the Ngatangiia school were lucky enough to have national sailors Taua Eliza, Junior Charlie and Toka Narayan on hand to give them expert advice on sailing.

After learning the different parts of the boat, some of the pupils got to go out on the water in the sailing club’s safety boat where they received a lesson in reading the water, wind and clouds.

But it wasn’t until the students had the opportunity to sit in the boats and sail it with some help that the excitement about learning to sail became evident.

Not only will learning to sail give the students a new skill and make them more comfortable around water but it will give the students a confidence boost that is sure to help them sail well and learn better at school.

Other schools interested in sailing and getting students to learn to sail can contact Anne Tierney or register your interest with the Rarotonga Sailing Club in Muri.