Being confident and remaining safe in and around water is an essential life skill that we believe should be available to all children in Antigua and Barbuda. Not only does it help to keep children safe, but it offers opportunities to pursue leisure and career opportunities in sailing and other water borne activities.
The National Sailing Academy of Antigua and Barbuda has been offering water confidence and safety classes to local school children since 2017 following a generous donation for the purchase and installation of a swimming spa. The Academy offers a safe environment for children to learn where their parents and guardians can be confident that they are in safe and capable hands. Volunteer instructors offer their time and knowledge to assist children to learn these essential skills, many of whom progress to one of the sailing programmes available at the Academy.
Over the past year the programme has been very popular but has unfortunately been impacted by the COVID pandemic. As the island emerges from these restrictions we are planning to reopen the programme with new protocols to keep everyone safe and numbers manageable.
The new protocols are as follows:
Classes will be held Saturday mornings 09.30 to 11.00 utilising the spa and the Academy boat dock.
Target age range is 8 to 12. Children aged 6 to 14 will be considered depending on numbers.
Classes will be limited to 12 children with at least 2 instructors per class.
Parents are welcome to stay with their children at the Academy during classes but must sit in the seating provided and not cluster around the pool.
An active participation list of about 20 children will be maintained who may attend classes. If more than 12 children attend a particular class we will split the time available on a first come basis.
Children can be registered by their parents or guardians to join a reserve list and will be called forward to attend classes once space is available on the active list.
A child will ‘graduate’ from classes once they have achieved a level of water confidence and skills deemed sufficient to enrol on sailing lessons. At that time they will be removed from the active list and will no longer be permitted to attend classes.
Priority for the active list will be assessed as follows.
- Children expressing a desire to enrol on a sailing programme.
- Children who have no or limited swimming ability.
- Children in the age range 6- 14 - no under 6's will be included in the programme
- Children who have siblings or cousins already enrolled in the programme.
Children will be removed from the active list as follows:
- Once they graduate as stated above.
- Those who fail to attend for 3 consecutive classes.
- Being unruly, disruptive, or disrespectful to instructors.
- Persistent poor time keeping.
- If no show for 2 classes having been called forward from the reserve list.
To register for our swimming lessons please fill in our form.