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Autism Vox

Sailing, Sailing

by Kristina Chew, PhD on September 16th, 2006

Heart of Sailing provides sailing instruction to developmentally disabled children. Children are shown how to adjust the sails and hold the wheel in daysails that are held throughout the United States and Canada (sails in Bellingham, WA, and Vancouver, BC, will be held on October).

My son Charlie just got on a sailboat for a sailing adventure with Heart of Sailing. Photos can be found here on Autismland and a fuller account of Charlie at sea will soon follow.

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POSTED IN: Sports, Water

3 opinions for Sailing, Sailing

  • marie
    Sep 29, 2006 at 5:48 pm

    Funny thing, I live in Bellingham, WA and have a son who is autistic 3 years old. It is ironic that this sailing is availble for disabled children as I have found the town’s medical community and school district to be some of the most inhumane people one could ever run across. They offer ZERO services or acknowledgment for autistic children. It is school district policy to label everyone Developmentally Delayed. Their special education preschools are not set up for anyone on the spectrum and they have lost several children during the course of playground time among other things. So while its nice to see on this website a link to Bellingham, I want to make it clear that if possible do not located to Bellingham if you want any services outside of your home for an autistic child or non-nuero normal child or infant.

    Aside from that rant brought on by a seemingly innocous post about sailing, I want to thank you very much for such a wonderful and informative website that weaves a beautiful picture of the dignity that we can bring to our truly amazing children with autism.

  • Kristina Chew, PhD
    Sep 30, 2006 at 6:15 am

    Marie, thank you very much for writing here, and for your very kind words! The place in New Jersey where we went to sail (right by the ocean) does not have the best autism services either—we live a distance away; my son would love to live closer as he loves the water, but it would not be for the best. How is your son doing?

  • George Saidah
    Nov 4, 2006 at 1:07 am

    Hi Marie,
    I am sorry that you have such an experience in Bellingham. I am the founder of Heart of Sailing and the one that takes children out sailing.
    If you are interested, I could send you Laurene’s info. She is the mother of a child with Autism that is very involved in a group of 50 families of children with special needs.
    Maybe you could meet her and find out a different kind of support?
    Laurene is a very nice lady and she is coordinating and facilitating the running of our sailing program from the Bellingham Yacht Club.
    I was there a week ago and met lot of members that are going to help us take your children out sailing.
    Please let me know if I can help and I hope to meet you and your son and take you sailing next summer.
    George

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