My Nonprofit Reviews

When I was in 7th grade I sailed LAMI's brigantine, Exy Johnson on a four day voyage to Catalina Island. Although at first this may sound like a cruise on a yacht, in reality it is the complete opposite. Students become the crew and preform the duties of sailing a traditional sailing vessel. With the ship's 13 sails and a spider web of rigging, it is no easy task to get the boat moving. Under the direction of LAMI's professional crew, it is entirely possible though. I vividly remember first looking up at the masts and being in complete awe but also very overwhelmed.

On our voyage, my peers and I were given opportunities to succeed and recover from failures. We learned how to overcome daunting challenges. We learned how to work as a team (even if we did not always get along). We learned to push our limits both mentally and physically. We learned that putting in 100% effort to a common cause has virtue. We were taught how to take on responsibility, and craved it. We learned to teach each other and to lend a hand when a fellow crew member struggled.

Sailing a brigantine is HARD work. I fell asleep instantly every night in my bunk but was eager to wake up early with my friends to scrub the deck and prepare breakfast.

By the end of the voyage the rig became far less daunting. I leaned a few of the lines, knew how to furl a square sail 80ft. above the deck and understood when to tie certain knots. Feeling handy and deck gave me a tremendous amount of confidence. I walked away from the boat on our last day feeling good about what I was capable of. LAMI helped me develop imperative skills that I will use throughout my entire life.

I came away from LAMI loving tall ships. There is something about it that I just can't fully describe on a keyboard. Needless to say, it quickly became a passion and obsession. About a year after my life changing voyage with LAMI, I joined the professional crew of a topsail schooner in San Diego where I honed in my sailing skills. I have worked for a handful of marvelous sailboats since and will be applying for a captains license by the end of 2016. For me, LAMI not only taught me many skills that I will use throughout my life but also set me on a pathway that could quite possibly turn into my career. I can not think of four days that had nearly as much meaning as my time with LAMI.