Xavier Smith | Aug 2, 2021 | 2 min read

Exploring Different Activities in Maritime

When I heard that we were going kayaking for our next field trip, I was ecstatic. I was so happy to take a trip back to the Tacoma Youth Marine Center. When we arrived we were greeted by the amazing Executive Director of the center, Monique Valenzuela. She sat us down in one of the portables they had and gave us a briefing of the day and expressed how excited she was to have us there. I had already had kayaking experience before but being there made me excited like it was my first time.

The day was beautiful and a perfect day to be out on the Foss Waterway. We got suited in our life jackets, taken down to the dock, and taught the safety procedures and the proper way to enter and exit the kayaks. Once everyone was on board after our briefing we chose our kayaks and were sent out onto the water. The breeze was very refreshing and the water was nice and cool. Monique warned us that we would be paddling against the current which I was definitely feeling on my way up the waterway.

My fellow interns and I had a few races up to and down the waterway and by the end, I definitely got my workout for the day. As I paddled and looked around I almost didn’t recognize where I was because of how amazing everything looked due to the great weather. By the time we were done the hour and half that we spent on the water felt like 15 minutes, I wouldn’t have stopped if my arms didn’t feel as if they were going to fall off. We went back to the portable that we were in before and got to have fun and socialize and play fun group games together. I had the chance to get to know my fellow interns better and had a fun evening. I will definitely remember this trip for a long time and can’t wait for the next adventure that awaits us.

Contact

Phone: (206) 227 8216
Email: robert@maritimeblue.org

Youth Maritime Collaborative

Where Opportunity Sets Afloat

Guiding youth toward adventurous careers in the maritime industry through paid internships, experiential learning events, and thoughtful career exploration with a specific focus on equity and inclusivity.

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