Pioneering oceanographer Jacques Cousteau famously remarked on the enchanting nature of the ocean, declaring, “The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever.”

A group of local boating and sailing enthusiasts are taking that same spirit of nautical wonder that has captivated them for decades and channeled it into action; creating a new nonprofit foundation whose mission is to provide excursions onto local waters to enhance the lives of the differently abled.

“We found over the years amongst our group that this contact with nature, even a half day out on a boat in the harbor, can be very therapeutic and lift the spirits and give some relief from the anxiety of being disabled that a lot of the young people go through,” said George Burman, one of the founders of the 2nd Wind Foundation. “We’ve been asking around, and there’s an obvious need for a service like this.”

Burman, a principal architect for nearly half a century, is joined by an impressive cast to round out the 2nd Wind team, which includes John Philip Donoghue, a neuroscientist who founded Brown University’s Carney Institute for Brain Science; Judith Katz, an internationally-experienced consultant with experience in banking, and business and nonprofit management; Grant Rhode, a seasoned skipper who teaches at the Naval War College in Newport and at Boston University; Yvette Yatchmink, clinical director of Lifespan’s developmental behavioral pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital and a professor of pediatrics at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University; Frank Munro, their fleet manager who served as crew chief for a number of high-profile regattas, including the Ocean Race; and Greg Marsili, a Coast Guard veteran and the Town of Bristol’s Harbormaster.

The group has a fleet of three boats, all privately owned by various members of the board, which will be available to book for private outings throughout the Rhode Island coastline. Burman said that, while the boat owners are all experienced in their own rights, excursions would be led by professional skippers with verified certifications to take up to six people out on the water.

At the moment, the foundation only has two skippers, but Burman is hopeful that the idea will capture attention of local assistance agencies in the region and attract more requests for excursions. “Hopefully demand will make us bring on a third skipper, which we will do,” he said.

The excursions would be provided at no cost to the individual seeking them, but Burman said interested parties should be sure to get a reference from their physician indicating such an excursion would be safe.

For the moment, Burman said that their target demographic was young people with various types of physical disabilities, but he said they hoped to be able to expand their services to adults with disabilities and senior citizens with mobility issues or their own afflictions.

“It’s all a question of our own time and availability and also support from the community,” Burman said. “If it’s only us doing this, it’s got limited possibilities. But if we get the support from the community and the community agencies, we’ll know we’re doing something valid and important and we’ll want to continue it.”

Burman said the Foundation formed about a year ago, and they have spent the time since readying their website and getting the boats prepped for use this upcoming spring. He hopes to have excursions reserved and ready to hit the water in May or June of 2024.

Burman was also excited to share that the group had been in conversations with the Shake-A-Leg Foundation, a group with a similar mission that was started by Harry Horgan in 1990, and currently operates out of Miami, Fla. The precursor of that group, Burman said, started in the Newport and Jamestown area in the 1980s where sailboat training was offered to the differently abled.

Burman said he was hopeful that there could be a collaborative effort between 2nd Wind and the Shake-A-Leg Foundation to partner up and have a Rhode Island hub for providing boating access to those with disabilities.

For more information on the 2nd Wind Foundation, go to www.2ndWindFoundation.org. To inquire about setting up an excursion, send an email to 2ndWindFoundation23@gmail.com.