🌊 Sailing Changes Lives in Eleuthera

Read our new Strategic Plan

❤️ Our Story

The Eleuthera Sailing Academy (ESA) was created to give every child the chance to experience the ocean — not just as recreation, but as education, culture, and opportunity.

Sailing is deeply woven into the history of The Bahamas. Traditional sloops once connected our islands, and regattas remain a proud expression of national identity.

At ESA, we carry this heritage forward while also teaching modern sailing and watersports — ensuring the next generation is connected to both tradition and the future.

Our Dream

Our dream is to build a stable, year-round sailing program in Eleuthera, led by local instructors and strong enough to give every child the opportunity to get on the water.

From this foundation, we expand access — with yearly summer camps, transportation across the island, partnerships with schools, and sailing centers in every major settlement. Over time, this creates a system where sailing becomes part of everyday life, with interschool competitions connecting communities through the national sport of The Bahamas.

But this is not just about sailing — it’s about opportunity. Through a strong social enterprise model, we create pathways into maritime careers, connecting young people to real jobs in tourism and the marine industry.

And ultimately, we aim to secure a permanent home — a watersports and sailing center that anchors everything we are building and ensures ESA continues to serve Eleuthera for generations.

What we Need

To turn this vision into reality, we need to strengthen today while building for tomorrow.

1. Strengthen Current Operations
Build a reliable team of local instructors, maintain equipment, and ensure safe, consistent programs year-round.

2. Expand Access Across the Island
Fund summer camps, provide transportation, and grow partnerships with schools so every child can participate, no matter where they live.

3. Grow Our Fleet & Equipment
Invest in boats, safety gear, and coach boats to increase capacity and put more kids on the water.

4. Create Opportunities Through Training
Develop pathways for local youth to become instructors and access careers in sailing, tourism, and maritime industries.

5. Secure a Permanent Home (Long-Term)
Establish a dedicated sailing and watersports center to anchor our programs and ensure long-term sustainability.

🎯 Our Goal -

To bring this vision to life, we are raising support across three key areas:

🔹 $80,000 / year — Strengthen Current Operations
Build a stable team, maintain equipment, and run safe, consistent programs year-round.

🔹 $60,000 – $100,000 — Expand Access Across Eleuthera
Fund summer camps, provide transportation, and grow school programs to reach more children across the island.

🔹 $20,000 – $50,000 — Fleet & Equipment
Invest in boats, safety gear, and coach boats to increase capacity and put more kids on the water.

🌍 Your Impact

With your support, ESA can:

Continue offering free and subsidized access to local youth
Provide stable jobs for local instructors
Maintain a safe, professional sailing program
Strengthen a pathway from first sail → to leadership → to employment

We are not building a short-term project. We are building a permanent program for Eleuthera.

💛 Donation Levels

$100 → Helps a child access sailing for a month
$250 → Supports coaching and program delivery
$1,000 → Funds equipment maintenance and safety
$5,000 → Supports core operations for a full month
Custom Amount → Every contribution keeps ESA running

🙌 Join Us

Your support keeps the program alive.
It keeps kids on the water.
It keeps opportunities open.

💙⛵ Together, we can ensure that every child in Eleuthera has the chance to set sail, discover their potential, and carry forward the proud maritime heritage of The Bahamas.

Eleuthera Sailing Academy

Help us keep Eleuthera Sailing Academy running — providing safe, consistent access to sailing and real opportunities for local youth.