Yesterday I participated in an incredible event! The Downtown Sailing Club of Baltimore hosted their annual:
A fundraiser to support their community outreach and accessible sailing programs. These programs use sailing as a platform to provide independence, education, and experiential learning to all participants.
It was such a wonderful and inspiring day. One participant mentioned:
“I never feel quite as free and mobile as when I’m gliding through the water, I love these events!”
There were boats that could be steered by a “sip and puff” device, allowing individuals with high level spinal cord injuries to control a boat (essentially with their inhalations and exhalations) all on their own.
Several of my colleagues from Johns Hopkins came to help out with transferring sailors into boats using specialized lift equipment:
Despite the low wind conditions (which isn’t the best for sailing…but made my bike ride home pleasant 🙂 ), it was a beautiful day to spend out on the water exploring my new city. If you are interested in participating in accessible sailing events or contributing to The Downtown Sailing Center’s initiative check out their website here: Sailing Center.
A Cup A Day 