Once again, Captain Pierre Wallinder has outdone himself – this time by securing and delivering a floating classroom to the Outer Harbor. Earlier in the summer, Pierre managed to get ahold of the Clara Brown (see post) for use in his instructional fleet. At that time Pierre informed me that it wouldn’t be long before the floating classroom would become a reality. “The classroom is floating at the marina right now,” Pierre told me. “We’re planning on adding the roof very soon… we’re using it right now as we speak. We like action – it’s a perfect fit for the Buffalo First Marina. I would like to thank Councilman Michael Kearns – it was truly a collaborative effort. We have tradesmen who worked on the project who used 6400 recycled plastic bottles (see image) for floatation and we’re using recycled sails for the roof.”
Sailing students will soon be utilizing the floating structure as a classroom where they will learn maritime rules and regulations, and ultimately how to sail on the waters of Lake Erie. For many of the students, Sail Buffalo offers a unique opportunity to connect with the water. Living in a waterfront city affords opportunity for some, but for others the water may as well be a thousand miles away. Many are without key resources and access to waterfront amenities. This is just another step towards creating a vibrant waterfront for everyone – with a growing fleet and a new operational classroom, Pierre’s dreams are quickly becoming a reality.