Echo Sailing and Leadership Expedition 2017
May 24, 2017
This afternoon, this very afternoon, was an extremely exciting and revitalizing day at Hodges Creek Marina. Why? After a week and a half of strategic summer start up execution, countless hours of inventory unpacking, errand running, account opening and characteristically sweaty program preparation, our first set of staff were finally able to take a breath (and a shower) before seeing to the most special part of this company, job and surroundings — the welcoming of young eager minds into this brilliant world of Caribbean discovery and exhilaration.
Nothing touches you quite like the enchantment of the first day of arriving students for the season – it’s hands down majestic. In the last 24 hours, our Echo students (with the exception of one late arrival that will be joining us tomorrow) have moved aboard their 50 foot monohull, affectionately named Attila and begun embracing their new home as their own. Today, after a thorough morning of prior-to-the-first-sail refreshers and lessons, the office and operations staff eased, surged, and struck dock lines and saw the Echo crew off docks as they head to Cooper Island for an afternoon of their first taste of the American Sailing Association curriculum on our Colgate 26′ training boat, Opal Bella.
The next 20 days will see enthusiastic water, wind and smile-filled exploits beyond anything these students may have imagined, and we’re just as feverishly spirited to be along for the ride.
Amidst preparation for the Echo-21 Day Sailing and Leadership Expedition, Course Director Jen Borderud was pleasantly jolted by the discovery of her very own trip update composition written while she was a student of this very same program in 2011. You’re not going to want to skip out on reading the powerful novice experience she had that she discloses moved her to pursue the Adventure Education career path she has lived and loved for the last 6 years since.
Disclaimer: The above link is a website that has since been archived, so using any navigation links is not recommended. They will most likely not work.
