Little Girls on Board

Yes! For little girls on board! Loving the sea, the salt air, the speed, the wind! What makes it magical is the joy that exudes from these little people who simply love the outdoors! The She’s at Sea Summer Camp for Girls is a week-long happening where the all-girl captain and crew head out to the ‘high seas’ to discover a magical world in, on, and under the water.

What amazes me every time we embark on the week is the instant transition from land girl to water girl as soon as we cut the lines and head off the dock. The girls are entrenched in their roles, their “stuff,” their typical little kid neediness . . . until. . . .. the engine jumps to life and we slip away from the dock and head out of the marina.

Instantly, the attention is diverted and the Real Girl emerges as a capable, supportive, and knowledgeable mariner!

“Look at that bird! What kind is it? A heron?”

“No, no – a heron has yellow legs right?! An egret had black – this is a heron!”

“Wow – look at that – a nurse shark!”

“OH – I do not like sharks!”

Reassurances from all sides, “Oh no, this shark is like a catfish! She is not a problem for us! We could swim right up to that shark!”

. . . .and on and on and on!

The phone, the app, the teen star. . . all of these extremely important features of a young girl’s land life – simply fade away  as we all remember how to play, do cannonballs off the bow, float with our ears under water to hear silence peppered by the mysterious pops and sparkling of watery sounds.

I give these kids credit. We have a no electronics policy on board and this does not for a minute stop these kids from having a ball.

Of course, all of this knowledge, self sufficiency, and independence possessed on board disappears the second we return to the dock and the girls realize the trip is over and they are greeted by their Mothers!

What an absolute shock to see the little leaders – being bold and brave on board – curl up and hide inside somewhere as they gather their things, misplace items, need help and return to their afternoon tasks.

They tuck away the wildness and free-spiritedness that the sea pulls from them until we all reconvene the next morning for the next day of boating class.

And the second we pull away from the dock . . . . they emerge – thankfully!