One of the students is Alfred Onno, who has been attending the maritime school for nearly three years. He says his interest in seafaring came from home. "My father is also a seaman. He taught that we need more seafarers," Onno said.

According to the young sailor, steering a sailboat requires quite a bit of activity. "There's definitely some hustle," he said.

Panic is the worst thing for safety

According to Katrin Visnapuu, head of the Sõru Maritime School, the main limits on growth of the school are currently the size of the existing boat fleet and the workload for coaches.

The school places strong emphasis on maritime safety. Visnapuu says this is the foundation of all activities. Children are not taught to fear the sea, but to respect and understand it. "There's no need to feel fear — panic is the worst thing for safety — but they must respect it and get to know it. That's the key," she said.

Learning maritime skills begins even before getting into a boat. First, students learn to observe weather conditions and plan their activities at sea.

"They must always first check the weather forecast, consider where the wind is coming from, think through what they're going to do, how they will leave the dock, and how they will return. That's the very first thing," the school head explained.

Although children's interest in maritime activities is strong, the school struggles to find instructors. Visnapuu noted that this is a nationwide issue in Estonia. "In fact, finding sailing coaches — or coaches in general — is a major challenge across the country. Perhaps young people don't see it as a viable career path," she said.

At the same time, the maritime school considers it important to introduce maritime careers. According to Visnapuu, there are already visible results. "We already have our first ship's officer graduate from the Estonian Maritime Academy."

The sea makes you feel you're doing the right thing

18-year-old sailing coach Fredy Saarkoppel is spending the summer in his small yacht In Sõru harbor. For the young man, the boat is not just a hobby or a tool for work, but also his home.

Saarkoppel moves onto his yacht at the beginning of each summer and lives there until the end of August. "Roughly from June 1 to August 31 — this year I actually came a bit earlier, at the end of May," he said.

The small yacht's cabin has everything needed for everyday life. He can cook there, store food, and, if necessary, accommodate several people.

Saarkoppel's connection to the sea began in the same place where he now teaches children. He started sailing at the Sõru Maritime School and has since moved into the role of coach. "I truly have a calling for the sea," he said.

According to him, the sea gives him a sense of confidence that he is doing exactly what he wants.

Spending the summer in the harbor suits his lifestyle well. Harbor life offers both social interaction and the opportunity to be alone when needed. "It's very convenient — I have a bar and a place to eat right next door, and there's a lively atmosphere all around. Events are organized here: Sõru Jazz is coming next week, and Hiiu Country Festival too."

Living on his yacht also means he gets out to sea much more often.

"That's one of the advantages — if I live here, I definitely go out sailing more than I would if I lived in a house a couple of kilometers away. I go out as much as possible," he said.

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