I went out for a paddle this morning, before the afternoon sea breeze kicked in. I hadn't been around the Nelson Haven for a while. The Haven is a large inlet seperated from the open waters of Tasman Bay by the Boulder Bank, a natural breakwater several kilometer long. Port Nelson occupies part of the Haven and is always a hive of recreational activity on a Saturday morning. This morning I saw other kayakers, fishermen (including one man hauling in an octopus), water-skiers, rowing teams, a dragon boat team, fizz boats off to get a feed of scallops, keelers hoisting sails, and a whole gaggle of Learn-2-Sail optimists.
Now this takes me back to my childhood here in Nelson. Learning to sail an optimist yacht is a part of growing up for many Kiwi kids. They are really just plywood dinghies with a centerboard, a mast, rudder, and a distinctive four-sided sail. They are easy to handle, and if you do manage to tip one over, they can be righted by one small person.
I remember going to Saturday morning learn-2-sail courses and was pleased to witness another generation of kids doing the same this morning. Some of the happiest memories of my life...
3:31:36 PM 
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