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Kath Johnson hopes the arrival of the Volvo Sailing... Have a Go! trailer on Friday will spark enough interest in sailing for the sport to get off the ground on Stewart Island.
The Halfmoon Bay School principal said sailing on the island was not as common as many might expect given the small island is surrounded by the sea. It's why there's a buzz among the 20 children aged between 8 and 12 who will take part over the two days, especially for the majority who will experience sailing for the first time.
"It's a community by the sea but there's not a lot of sailing so the kids are pretty excited," Johnson said. "We are super-keen to try to grow the sport and have a couple of boats the kids could use that we could build into our outdoor programme.
"I would love to see them get more into sailing but it's just a matter of resources."
Yachting New Zealand have organised for the Volvo Sailing... Have a Go! trailer to venture to Stewart Island on Thursday, which will be the first visit of the programme since 2010. A handful of children travelled to Bluff the following year but that trip encountered some nasty weather.
It's hoped the trailer will arrive in Stewart Island on Thursday as planned, but there's some nervousness around the size of the swell in the Foveaux Strait once ex-cyclone Gita hits the South Island. Rakiura Shipping Company are generously transporting the trailer free of charge.
Volvo Sailing... Have a Go! southern regional instructor Simon McVeagh has been looking forward to visiting Stewart Island for some time. He's been throughout the South Island since the summer programme began in October, travelling from Picton to Te Anau via the West Coast, Christchurch, east coast, Central Otago and Southland.
"I've never been to Stewart Island so I'm pretty keen to get there and see what it's like and to meet a group of kids who have a connection with the sea," McVeagh said. "It's awesome to get to areas that don't normally have the chance to do these things."
Halfmoon Bay School has a role of only 31 students, with the oldest 20 taking part in the Have a Go! programme, and Johnson has encouraged parents to join in as well.
Three Volvo Sailing... Have a Go! trailers tour the country over the summer months and is designed to give primary and intermediate school students the opportunity to try sailing in a safe and well managed environment.
Each trailer has six Optimists, one Weta (trimaran), two Topper Taz and a RIB, as well as all the gear like wetsuits and lifejackets. Each child needs to be able to swim 50m with a buoyancy aid.
All schools need to do is show up to their local sailing club and go sailing.
For more information on Volvo Sailing... Have a Go!, see here.
