July 15, 2011
A3
Island Moon
GulfBreeze Worldwinds Kids Windsurfing Camps
Record Crowds Attend Hatchling Releases At The National Seashore
By Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D. By Mike Murphy
Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery National Park Service
This summer is the third year that Worldwinds has offered windsurfing camps for kids 7-14 years old. Angela Hurley, staff instructor, first introduced the Kids Camp and has effectively helped all the kids learn the basics fast. The following is based on observations and visits with some of the parents and kids in the 3 day camp from June 27-29.
Padre Island National Seashore e-mail: Donna_Shaver@nps.gov
R
ecord crowds have attended releases of endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle hatchlings at Padre Island National Seashore this year. During July 3-4 alone, nearly 1,000 people attended two hatchling releases that were open to the public. Between about 100 and 300 people attended each of the other 19 public releases held so far this year. Hundreds more people are expected to attend before the release season is over.
Campers… helper and kids Brooke Dippo, age 16, is from San Antonio and her parents also have an island home. Since her father suggested a windsurfing lesson last year, Brooke completed two Kids Camps and has assisted Angela with several other camps. The most recent Kids Camp included a total of 9 campers, 6 gulls and 3 buoys, ranging in age from 8 to 12 years old. Basics... board, sail and wind The kids learn very quickly and are generally sailing well before the end of day one. The Kids Camp begins with a demonstration on the beach to get familiar with the equipment and wind relationships. The kids learn how to handle the board and sail then move to the water. On the water Angela demonstrates getting the sail out of the water, the neutral position and how to control the rig. In just a short time the kids are ready to give it a try and generally are able to sail a short distance jump off, reposition the gear and sail back. The kids also learn about body and foot position and
Henry Tomerlin windsurfs away from the beach Campers... kids and parents The youngest boy in the recent Kids Camp was 10 year old Henry Tomerlin. The Tomerlin’s live in San Antonio but also have a house on the island. Henry has now completed three Kids Camps and feels he is progressing well. Luis Requejo, enjoyed watching his kids, 12 year old Luis and 10 year old Carolina complete the Kids Camp. The kids live in Baltimore, Maryland where they are active in basketball and soccer. Their father is from Brazil, windsurfs and has lived in Austin working as a bank loan officer for the past 7 years. Paolo and Lisa Pineda travelled from San Antonio and watched daughters Lena, age 9, and Olivia, age 11 during the Kids Camp. Both the girls are likely to windsurf again especially since their parents have windsurfed a little. Grandparents, Jim and Terry Anderson, from Phoenix, Arizona, have windsurfed for over two decades. They have made several trips to Bird Island Basin to windsurf and learned about the Worldwinds Kids Camps while there. Interested... time is limited
Campers listen and watch Angela Hurley demonstrate on the water how to steer the board by moving the sail forward or back. Angela shows the kids how to make a turn to change directions while sailing. Once again the kids learn quickly and practice sailing out and back, gaining experience controlling the board and sail. On day two the campers learn how to beach start and do some sail handling basics and some begin to learn how to use a waist harness. By this time most campers are able to focus on practicing the basics with coaching from Angela and Brooke. The group takes rest breaks for liquid, snacks and questions in the shade of the Worldwinds Palapa. On the last day, the campers continue to practice the basics, fine tune their technique and have an informal race, long distance sail or some other group activity.
Congratulations to all the graduates, you did well and all hope you will be able to windsurf again. The kids are always amazing in their ability to learn to windsurf. The Worldwinds Kids Windsurfing Camps continue through July, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm with weekend and week day camps available.
Graduates of another successful Kids Windsurfing Camp
Roni Owner / Stylist
At each release, we hear from local people that enjoy coming to the park to see releases, as well as from others that travel long distances and stay here for a few days with the hopes of seeing a release of these tiny turtles. We see many smiling faces and hear squeals from the children when they get a glimpse of the newborns and see them scurry towards the surf. And, the crowd claps as the first and the last hatchlings enter the water and swim away. Unless injured, the males will never come ashore again and the females will only come ashore to nest, in about 10-15 years after birth. Hatchling releases will continue through mid-August for the eggs that have been found and are currently under protected care at the Padre Island National Seashore incubation facility. The Kemp’s ridley nesting season could continue through mid-July, so perhaps a few more nests will be found. If they are, hatchling releases could continue until the end of August. For information on when hatchling releas-
es might be held, visit the Padre Island National Seashore website at www.nps.gov/pais. We announce each release on our Hatchling Hotline at 361-949-7163 and on our Facebook page entitled Padre Island NS Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery.
A few more Kemp’s ridley nests have been found recently and this was enough to set a new record for the number of Kemp’s ridley nests documented on the Texas coast in a year since recordkeeping began in the early 1980s. Through July 8 of this year, 199 Kemp’s ridley nests have been documented state-wide. Local nests include 117 found at the National Seashore, 9 on North Padre Island north of the National Seashore, and 5 on Mustang Island. Padre Island National Seashore is the most important Kemp’s ridley nesting beach in the U.S., with more than half the U.S. nests located at the park.
We thank the Padre Island National Seashore staff members and more than 100 volunteers that aided with the Kemp’s ridley restoration project at Padre Island National Seashore this year. We also thank the local community that has been so supportive of our work over the years. This support and assistance made possible this very successful nesting and hatchling release season, and the special experience had by thousands of people that have attended hatchling releases.
Denice Stylist
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