Stairway’s new ship is back on the waves after a serious overhaul. With a generous donation from Sonion Corporate Social Responsibility Fund, the Sea Adventure School (SAS) sails again. The SAS is aims at raising Environmental awareness among the local children and youth and teach them to responsible action for this town’s gorgeous bay and beaches in the Puerto Galera area.
The SAS program invites local high school students to spend a full day at sea and introduces them to the fascinating and fragile marine environment in three specific areas: the sea grass clusters, the mangrove forests and the coral reefs. All of which are in danger of destruction because of neglect and ignorance among tourists as well as local residents.
The students not only receive theoretical information, but also get the chance to see the seascapes with there own eyes by snorkeling on the reefs and wading through the mangrove. This is a tremendous eye-opener, since only a few have any knowledge of the marine environment let alone any experience of snorkeling between the colorful fish and corals.
Endorsed by the DepEd
The SAS program has recently received a powerful boost through an endorsement from the Division Level (Provincial Level) of the Department of Education on running the SAS as an official part of the science class curriculum among high school students in Puerto Galera.
In addition to the sailing school, Stairways has reinforced our environmental education campaign through beach and community cleanup through child-to-child organizing in major schools and villages within the locality of Puerto Galera and through the formation of the EACY Club in the past six months – EACY meaning Environmental Awareness for Children and Youth. The club has got more than xxx members within a few months.
Upgrade of boat
The SAS program is taking place on Stairway’s own boat, launched in the summer of 2014. The boat has just been through a technical upgrade, including a new and more powerful engine and better equipment for navigation and safety.
The renovation was managed by Danish volunteer Thomas Bergstrand, who knows all there is to know about boats and himself is an experienced sailor. He spent several years as skipper on the Danish Nordkaperen.
