For those growing up on the Middle Peninsula, summer would not be complete without participating at some point in one of the area’s youth sailing camps. These camps, one of which has taught the basics of sailing and water safety for 40 years, are in full swing this week in both Gloucester and Mathews.

On Monday afternoon, this week’s session of the Ware River Yacht Club Junior Sailing Camp had recently got underway and participants were implementing skills they had already learned that morning in the river.

According to head instructor R.T. Davis, the junior sailing program is comprised of three regular two-week, full-day sessions for campers age eight years and older. Davis said the younger campers start out in smaller boats and, as they get older, move into larger boats that are more difficult to control.

The six instructors, Davis said, teach basic boat handling skills, boat terminology, basic navigation, tides and more. The instructors also teach racing skills i...