500 Sails Program Manager Andrea Carr, left, accompanies two lifejacket-clad passengers on a traditional canoe in the Saipan lagoon. Free canoe rides are available this month at Crowne Plaza Resort.
A COLLABORATION between Crowne Plaza Resort and 500 Sails will bring Chamorro sailing canoes back to Garapan this month.
Free canoe rides will be available from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the resort’s beach side and will take place every Tuesday and Thursday until Jan. 30.
“We’re thrilled to have this partnership with 500 Sails open to our guests and the local community,” Crowne Plaza Resort General Manager Clayton Darlington said. “Together we are dedicated to encourage community engagement and the preservation of this indigenous cultural activity while providing a unique experience for our guests to be a part of.”
Junior Coleman, 500 Sails executive director, said the canoe rides can be a highlight for the guests of Crowne Plaza.
“500 Sails strives to continue to re-establish and brand sailing canoe culture as one of the highlights of eco-activities for both visitors and locals,” he said. “I would like to encourage you all to join 500 Sails at Crowne Plaza Resort in experiencing and sharing in this unique part of our culture.”
Life jackets will be available for the passengers. First time riders will be asked to sign a waiver form. Children should be accompanied by an adult.
Aside from the Crowne Plaza canoe rides, 500 Sails also offers free sailing opportunities every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Guma Sakman in Susupe across from Marianas High School.
