Waterwise {Session 1}

The shimmering water smiled up at me as I meandered along the beach, made up of a mixture of a crisp gold colour and a sodden brown shade of sand.  The reason I was at the beach is because Room 21 went for their first waterwise session of the year.  We played games on land, we rode on motorised boats and kayaked - but best of all we went optimist sailing.  I was in group 3 so my group went on the opti’s third.  When it came to my turn I totally freaked out and my mind went blank as a sheet of paper.  Not knowing what I was doing, I hopped into the boat, the wind whistling it’s wild song in my ears.  Once I was in the boat, most of the instructions came flooding back to me - I greeted them warmly, as I didn’t want them to be whisked away again.  I gripped the tiller and hooked the mainsheet onto my helping thumb when “TACK” was shouted out by Mr Wright.  I pushed the tiller as far as my numb arms could manage and ducked as the boom swept over my head.  I passed the mainsheet behind my back and swapped sides - to be greeted by the feeling of almost capsizing.  I lurched myself forwards, hoping the boat wouldn’t flip!  Yes! It had worked; The boat didn’t upturn and I didn’t end up in the murky depths of the water below.  The slightest ray of sunlight broke through the muddy grey clouds and I started to like - no, LOVE sailing.  Leaving my scarlet opti was the hardest thing that week - yes, even harder than a P.A.T test.  Now I have excitement bubbling up inside me, waiting to be released on the 20th of March, when I sail the Optimist across the shimmering ocean, once again.

By Zoe Musham