The 2022 Sailing Development Week in Rarotonga included past participants who had sailed at both the London and Rio Olympics. Photo\/Tina Godbert<\/p>\n
Spending the school holidays in the Cook Islands would be a special treat for any student, but transporting themselves there by sea took it to another level for three Kerikeri High sailors.<\/p>\n
Erin Kee, Charley Cates and Isla Kee were among 20 young sailors from around the country who travelled to the Cook Islands for the 2022 Sailing Development week in Rarotonga.<\/p>\n
Fifteen-year-old Erin Kee said the sailors took part in a variety of on and off-water activities, all revolving around the goal of improving their sailing knowledge, strengthening key skills and team building.<\/p>\n
Kee said the experience had taught her \"the importance of having contacts, and not being afraid to use them. And to be humble.\"<\/p>\n
Kee has been dinghy sailing for just under two years but was no newbie to the sea.<\/p>\n
\"I grew up living on a yacht with my family in New Zealand and overseas, so I've always known my way around the water.\"<\/p>\n
She said the trip was beneficial in that it allowed her to get to know and work together with people who enjoyed the sport as much as she did.<\/p>\n
She also valued \"being able to experience sailing in a very different environment with new boats\".<\/p>\n
During the first few days of the expedition, the group sailed traditional vakas, which Kee said she believed were the Cook Islands' version of wakas.<\/p>\n
Ross Sutherland, who's a founding member of the New Zealand Team Sailing Association, said he and Derry Godbert of Kerikeri started the development regattas in 2004 following an invite from Sailing Cook Islands.<\/p>\n
\"This year was the first time the sailors got to try a different style of craft, which is only found in the Cook Islands and needs good teamwork to sail,\" Sutherland said.<\/p>\n
\"It's a very tricky boat to sail.\"<\/p>\n
\"It has an outrigger on the port (right) side of the boat, which makes sailing it very tricky at times,\" agreed Kee.<\/p>\n
\"On one tack, it's like sailing a keeler and on the other, it's like sailing a catamaran.<\/p>\n
\"They were very tippy at times but incredibly fun to sail.\"<\/p>\n
The regatta wasn't without unpredictable challenges and would have perhaps been incomplete without them.<\/p>\n
\"A storm came in and the huge swells caused a lot of damage to many resorts across Rarotonga,\" Kee said.<\/p>\n
\"We decided that we couldn't sail safely, so we explored the island for a few days instead.\"<\/p>\n
The other founder of the development regattas, Kerikeri's Godbert, attended this year's event at age 88. Godbert was the coach, umpire and rescue\/media boat.<\/p>\n
Perhaps inspired by his and Sutherland's leadership, Kee said she hoped \"to do some coaching to get others on the water because I think it's awesome\".<\/p>\n
\"I think sailing will always be a big part of my life, and I hope to sail competitively.\"<\/p>\n
Past attendees at the regatta have sailed at both the London and Rio Olympics.<\/p>\n
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Far North students spend school holidays on the high seas - Northland Age<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The 2022 Sailing Development Week in Rarotonga included past participants who had sailed at both the London and Rio Olympics. Photo\/Tina Godbert Spending the school holidays in the Cook Islands would be a special treat for any student, but transporting themselves there by sea took it to another level for three Kerikeri High sailors. Continue reading