Captain Dick Lathrop, back, gives direction to Erik Autio, 12, at helm, as kids in the Sea-Legs sailing program sail with Lathrop and mentor Stephen Pulaski on the S/V Interim to Flat Hammock Island in Fishers Island Sound on the final outing of the 10-week summer program for the group Thursday, August 18, 2016. Lathrop founded the program in 2006 as a winter classroom education effort and added the summer sailing element in 2009. 30 children, identified for participation through Groton Human Services, ranging in age from 9 to 17 and divided by age and experience into five small groups, go sailing once a week over the summer leaning sailing and maritime skills as well as self-esteem and leadership. Thursday's final trip was longer than the typical 1-2 hour sail that rarely gets past Ledge Light and continued out to Flat Hammock Island, a small strip of sand and gravel off the north shore of Fishers Island where the kids got to swim, practice rowing the dingy and use a GPS to search for a "treasure" buried by a previous group. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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