Sailing: One Question at a Time

William G. had barely stepped onto the dock before John Burton, known around camp as JGB, handed him a rope. He didn’t take it back. Instead, he showed the first-time sailor from Atlanta how to uncoil the dock line before asking a simple question.

What are the major systems on the boat we’re going to use today?

William looked from the rudder to the sails before glancing back at JGB. He hesitated for a moment. JGB waited.

Five days a week, every morning and afternoon, campers climb into the sailing van and head to Lake Summit. Some arrive hoping to earn a sailing progression. Others are stepping into a sailboat for the very first time. No matter their experience, every session begins the same way: with questions.

Before the Flying Scot ever left the dock, John quizzed the boys on their knots. When one camper admitted he didn’t know how to tie a figure-eight knot, Teddy B. from San Francisco quietly stepped in to teach him. JGB watched for a moment before smiling.

Good,” he said. “I’ll ask you again in ten minutes.

If there was any doubt, JGB had already warned the boys before they left the dock.

If you guys get on the Flying Scot today, you’ll be in danger of learning something!

As it turned out, he wasn’t joking.

As the Flying Scot eased away from the dock, the questions continued. JGB pointed across the lake and asked the boys what clues they could use to figure out where the wind was coming from. The answers came quickly.

The trees.

The sails.

The water.

Finally, one of the boys spoke up.

My neck.

JGB smiled. That was the answer he had been waiting for. Before long, it was William’s turn at the tiller.

Prepare to turn about” JGB instructed.

William hesitated.

You have to say it, JGB reminded him.

William looked around the boat before calling out,

Prepare to turn about!

With that, he pushed the tiller over, crossed to the other side of the boat and watched the Flying Scot change direction. By now, a pattern was beginning to emerge. JGB wasn’t interested in rushing the boys to the next task or giving them the answer. Every question, every command and every correction asked them to think first and act second.

There wasn’t much wind for part of the afternoon, leaving the Flying Scot drifting while the boys searched for the next breeze. Waiting turned out to be part of the lesson. Ike C. from Charlotte wasn’t afraid to say what everyone else was thinking.

Can we just press a button and get this thing going?

JGB laughed.

There wasn’t a button. There was another question, another adjustment and another chance to figure things out.

As the afternoon wore on and the boys grew hot, JGB didn’t send them swimming. Instead, he showed them how to use the hiking rope to lean safely over the side of the Flying Scot and cool off in the lake without ever leaving the boat. Teddy demonstrated first. Ike gave it a try but couldn’t quite find the right angle. Then William stepped up and managed it on his first attempt. As soon as Ike saw that, he gave it another shot and finally dipped his head into the water.

When everyone had cooled off once, JGB reached into the bottom of the boat and pulled out an old milk jug with the top cut off.

Anybody wanna scoop?

The boys quickly discovered the jug wasn’t just for bailing water from the boat. It also made the perfect way to throw a splash of cool lake water over their heads while they waited for the next breeze. Soon the Flying Scot was filled with laughter as the boys passed the jug from one camper to the next, cooling off between lessons.

Even on a slow afternoon, there was always something to do, something to learn and something to laugh about.

Late in the afternoon, just when it seemed like the wind might never arrive, sailing guide Santiago “Sante” Garcia de Villa pulled alongside the Flying Scot in the coach boat carrying a colorful spinnaker sail. Even Teddy B., who earned his Warrior progression in sailing last summer and returns to sailing nearly every day, leaned in to learn something new.

Sante carefully walked Teddy through each step, reminding him to move one rope before attaching another.

Oh! I have to do it right away.

As the afternoon breeze finally filled the new sail, the Flying Scot came alive and began gliding across the lake.

There is always something new to learn on a boat, said Teddy.

JGB smiled.

Now you know more than I do. That’s awesome.

Sante says moments like that are why he loves teaching at Falling Creek.

JGB wants you to learn rather than do it for you,” he said. “When the boys figure something out on their own, they’re proud of themselves. I’m proud because I taught them. It takes longer, but that’s how they learn.

Back at the dock, the lesson wasn’t over. Before anyone could jump into the lake, the sails came down, the rudder came up, the ropes were coiled and the Flying Scot was secured for the next group of campers. Sailing might be over for the day, but everyone still had a job to do.

As William worked through one final coil of rope, he looked up at JGB.

This rope is getting heavy.

It sure is,” JGB replied. “I’ll hold a little while you finish. You’re doing a beautiful job.

Only then did the boys head for the water, cooling off with a few minutes of swimming before hanging up the life jackets.

Tomorrow, another group of campers will step onto the dock and JGB will hand someone else a rope. They’ll ask many of the same questions, search for the wind and discover a few answers of their own.

Around Camp

• Laundry Day: Campers are sending out and getting their laundry back today, including fresh sheets for the week ahead.

• Cabin Inspections: Several cabins have earned perfect 10s during the first week of camp. Cabins 18, 30, and 37 have each earned two perfect scores, while Cabin 40 has earned a 10 every day this week!

• Green & Gold Begins: Last night’s Evening Program, Bowsner Tag, marked the first official Green & Gold competition of the session. Gold claimed the first victory of the month.

• Outdoor Adventures: Campers continue completing activity preps as they work toward next week’s backpacking, paddling, mountain biking, rock climbing, and fly fishing trips. Several early trips also return today so the entire camp can celebrate the Fourth of July together.