Panthers at Sea Program Hit with Slip Fees

LONG BEACH — An inner city high school sailing program that offers many students their first glimpse of the ocean might have difficulty funding this year’s event since Long Beach Harbor now plans on charging the non-profit temporary slip fees. Panthers at Sea, a program developed 11 years ago by Jordan High School science teacher, Dave Braunstein, offers students the chance to not only see the ocean, but sail on it as certified instructors bring their boats from as far as Seal Beach to teach them how to tack and gibe. “Last year we had about 130 students from Jordan High Scholl who came out to sail,” said Carlos Cooper, a teacher at Jordan High School and sponsor of the Panthers at Sea Program. “A lot of the kids, believe it or not, grew up here but they’ve never seen the ocean. It’s a nice experience in many ways in terms of exposure to different people they wouldn’t meet otherwise without getting out of the hood; they experience what sailing is all about.” But the program has run into a major problem this year since the city is requiring the nonprofit pay for the overnight slip fees used the night before the single-day...