Flipping heck, we're in the drink

For 10 years, Waterwise has been teaching children how to stay safe on the water. But as AMIE RICHARDSON found, falling in is the fun part.

It is not the chance to get out of the classroom and into a boat that gets these kids excited - it's getting out of the boat.

William Stone, aged 10, one of the 40 year 6 students from Long Bay Primary School taking part in the weekly day out, said he liked to flip the boat and get wet, though he did not like it when the capsize went wrong at Waiake Beach, on the North Shore.

"We were sailing along and we hit a wave and the boat flipped. I was trapped under it and I couldn't get out. I swam out eventually though."

Fellow students Alana Mason and Arna Van Deursen share his love of getting wet. Both girls, who enjoy swimming and kayaking, loved capsizing the boats, and with trained parent helpers and teachers in dinghies next to them, there was no risk.

When Alana also got trapped, her partner Arna was not worried.

"She was laughing so much, so we all laughed."

Sports co-ordinator and teacher Richard Murray said the children learned how to capsize and get back up safely. They also learned sailing, kayaking, swimming and water safety.

"They just love it. Most of them would much prefer to do the capsizing and get into the water than sailing," he said.

The Torbay Waterwise Society, which organised the days out for five schools in the area for 14 weeks over terms one and four, emphasised water safety.

Waterwise instructor Barry Johnstone said the children practised on the beach before they were allowed to go into the water.

The days out had been running for over 10 years without a serious accident.