Standing ankle deep in a warming tide pool at Double Bluff, 6-year-old Langley resident Emmett Roy Layman eyes his runway carefully.

Other “big” kids are everywhere and picking the perfect path will be essential. He hefts his new skim board and adjusts the tip to just the right angle. In an instant he’s off. His toss is true and his jump is right on and for a few blissful seconds, he glides effortlessly over a film of seawater.

What did the sixth generation islander like the best about participating in the South Whidbey Parks and Recreation district’s annual skim boarding program?

“I liked the learning,” he said, though surfing the tide flats was pretty fun too.

Layman was one of 17 students that participated in Skim Skool, a district program put on by the founders of Langley-based Jack’d Skimboards.

According to Auston Reisman, one of a handful of company owners, this week’s instruction was the third and final two-day camp of the year.

Students spent about half of the first day learning the fundamentals of skim boarding and the other half fine-tuning their newly acquired skills. Day two is “open skim,” a chance for more practice. It’s also the perfect time for a pizza party.

While the school is largely about passing on a fun sport to the next generation, Reisman said it’s really about having a good time while learning something new.

“That’s what we’re all about; having fun, growing the sport and sharing it with as many people as possible,” he said.

Emmett’s mother, Molly Layman, said her son has tried his hand at skim boarding before. Reiman and others from Jack’d Skimboards are often at Double Bluff, an ideal place due to the huge tide flats, and they never shy from sharing a few tips with her son.

“The guys are super supportive,” Layman said.

She passed on kudos to the parks district for sponsoring the program.

“Parks and rec is a fabulous part of South Whidbey,” she said.

 

 

 

Contact South Whidbey Record Island County Justin Burnett at jburnett@whidbeynewsgroup.com.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.