NEW ROADS - During the summer, kids can take to the water and learn to sail in a unique outdoor activity. 

This has everything to do with the late Louis J. Thibodaux. He was an avid sailor who enjoyed teaching others his favorite hobby.

To carry on Thibodaux's legacy, his friends and family got together to create a camp to teach kids how to sail. The idea of the camp started a few years ago, but the actual camp began just last year. 

What makes it special is that it's free of charge for any child who would like to learn. 

At the camp, children learn the parts of a sailboat, how to react to a boat capsizing and most importantly, the mental and physical demands of the activity. 

Learning the ropes — literally — is something that the campers do during their week-long experience, plus sailing their boat with a partner and learning how to move the sails.

Mentally and physically, sailing is something that challenges the kids and helps their growth in problem-solving and how to quickly react to changing conditions. 

Safety is the top priority once the children get on the water. Campers are taught to help their teammates out if something were to happen, then whistle if and when they need help from the camp directors. 

Roger Seals, one of the teachers at the camps, says that the campers are well-equipped in how to react in emergencies before they ever make it onto a boat. 

Camp Director Bob Kennedy says, "In a time when not a lot of kids are involved in outdoor activities, this is a real outdoor activity." 

More information on camp sign-up can be found here.