Thursday, July 15, 2010

A Swim In The Right Direction

Teaching participants the proper form when attempting to swim freestyle
"About 100 Barbadians have registered to learn how to swim in the 2010 Operation SOS: Save Our Selves programme.

Most of them went to Browne’s Beach yesterday for the start of the programme, which is being hosted by the National Conservation Commission (NCC) in partnership with the Barbados Fire Service.

NCC general manager Keith Neblett said the aim was to teach people to be able to save themselves if they got into any difficulty in the water, as well as to create greater respect for the marine environment.

The programme, now in its second year, is geared towards people ten years of age and older and includes lectures on how to prevent drowning; water safety; understanding currents and understanding and interpreting flags, beach signage, wind and waves.

It takes place every Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and at 4 to 5 p.m., and runs until August 27"

Source: NationNews.com

Exactly a year ago this blogger posted here about The Disconnect Between Black Bajans And The Beach, so this is indeed a welcome development that these courses are now being offered on an ongoing basis and many Barbadians have been taking advantage of the opportunities to reconnect with the water which surrounds us.  Hopefully, they will also become more fully aware of the environmental, ecological and social issues associated with beach erosion and join the fight to rescue Barbados from the clutches of the greedy beachrow condo developers and their enablers in positions of authority.

2 comments:

  1. this is a great program.. however.. why does it have to end when summer does.. we have 365 days of warm weather.. so why not offer this program year round.. there are more then 100 people who need to know how to swim and safe themselves in Barbados.

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  2. I appreciate your comment, Sunnie, and I heartily agree. I am also aware of the fact that among other things you also teach swimming. Looks like there is quite a lot more work to be done if prevailing attitudes towards the sea and the beach are to be changed. Apart from year-round swimming lessons, what else do you think can be done?

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