SAIL: soaring abilities in leisure.

Most people looking out over the Inner Harbor of Baltimore in May would have said it was a beautiful sight because of the view of the city skyline, but to NRPA Member Katrina Johnson. M.S., CTRS, it was spectacular because it was as the first time she could see individuals with disabilities and their families share and experience what few had thought they'd ever be able to do--sail.

Sailing doesn't seem like an easy activity for someone who uses a wheelchair or has a severe visual impairment or a cognitive disability. Yet with the help of the League for People with Disabilities, people can be equipped with the tools they need to participate. And isn't that what parks and recreation is all about? Johnson, executive director for The League at Camp Greentop, a branch of The League for People with Disabilities, contacted Andy Herbick, youth and outreach director at the Downtown Sailing Center, with a proposition to bring a group of individuals with special needs to the facility. The league would provide the participants, as well as staff who knew their abilities and their needs, while the Downtown Sailing Center would provide the boats and plenty of volunteers to set them sailing.

The Downtown Sailing Center consistently ensures accessibility and maintenance of the facility and encourages members to fulfill the mission of sailing for everyone. The stationary dock is connected to the free-floating dock via an accessible ramp. Another dominant feature is the stationary hoyer lift that allows smooth transfers from wheelchair to boat for people who are quadriplegic or unable to transfer with a one- or two-person assist. In addition to accessible pathways and ramps being on the docks, the center provides accessible parking, restrooms and pavilion.

Everyone is required to have a life jacket on to get on a dock. The free-floating docks tend to have slight movement on the water, so to ensure safety, people who use wheelchairs or other assistive mobility devices were escorted on the docks. Support straps on people who use wheelchairs were also undone so that participants could be buoyant if they and their chair fell into the water.

The participants were a wide-ranging lot. Some have used wheelchairs their whole lives owing to a congenital disability. Others had new spinal cord injuries and were trying a physically challenging activity for the first time. Some have cognitive disabilities such as autism or mental retardation. Some have significant visual impairments to the point where they can see only colors and shadows. Some individuals were unaccompanied, while others were participating in the event with their spouse or significant other, or even the whole family. Father-son pairs were there, siblings came to support their kin and friends accompanied individuals to show their encouragement. Jonathon Rondeau, Camp Greentop director and a staff person at the event, says that his favorite part of the day was "seeing such a diverse population and the interactions between family members and friends throughout the day."

Alter the event, several people said that they hadn't sailed before because they were unaware of any resources available to them. "Sailing Saturday Spectacular" immensely heightened leisure awareness, and the majority of the participants said they now felt more confident in pursuing new activities. Comments included: "It was a great time. It was wonderful seeing my autistic son so happy, and now we have something we can do together"; "I thought it was very enjoyable, and I can't wait to go again"; "What a wonderful opportunity to do a family activity with our disabled son and to meet new people"; and "It was more fun and less scary than I thought." Everyone rated their sailing experience as either a 1 or a 2 on a scale of 1-5, and a large majority declared that they wanted to engage in sailing again.

For more information about the accessible sailing program, contact the Downtown Sailing Center, 410-727-2884, www.downtownsailing.org or The League at Camp Greentop, 410-323-0500, www.campgreentop.org.