The Sailing Osprey Block, led by Sarah Brown in collaboration with Peaks & Tides Sailing School, invited students to explore the art and spirit of sailing while engaging with the rich maritime history of the Americas. Students developed a deep connection to wind, water, and the natural world through hands-on sailing adventures.
Over the course of ten days on the water—five on Lake Nighthorse and three at Navajo Lake, including three nights of boat-based or lakeside camping —they learned how to operate sailboats, navigate, and respond to changing environmental conditions on the water.
Thanks to the hard work and commitment of Osprey parent Katie James, the founder and Director of Programming & Operations at Peaks and Tides Sailing, the collaboration with Peaks & Tides Sailing School continued from last year’s successful Sailing Osprey Block.
The sailing students usually spent 3-4 hours on the water at a time during their time at Lake Nighthorse. During their stay at Navajo Lake, they would arrive at the dock at 7-7:30 am to be sailing by 8 am. They would sail until 11 am, then come back to the dock and take care of the boats before hiking half a mile back to their camping spot to eat lunch and relax.
Sedona Bische, a freshperson who participated in the block, shared: “If I had to remember a key aspect from this Osprey Block, it would be the times we had on the water with everyone.”
Junior Quinn Sparks reflected: “I think the overall experience was super fun, but the thought of the thrill that is imagined around the wind being super present, and you are going super fast down the lake, is the fun part, and what I will remember.”
At the end of the Osprey Block, each student had a choice for their final project, and a majority of the students chose to build a model boat. Some students built boats that looked like pirate ships, and others built ships that looked like sailboats. The students then took their final crafts to Lake Nighthorse and tested them in a slow but steady race.
All the students walked away with the understanding of how to sail a sailboat and the cultural importance of the incredible film The Goonies.
