In late June 2022, 12 members of the University of Birmingham Air Squadron travelled to Croatia, in pursuit of learning how to sail.
We arrived in Split on the 25th of June, and the students along with four instructors then travelled to Sibenik, where our expedition began. In Sibenik, we picked up two yachts, the Maja III and the Private Dancer II, spanning 44ft and 46ft respectively. Each one accommodated six students along with two qualified instructors. These yachts became our homes for the week, letting us explore places we had never been and cocooning us in their sailing ways. The expedition itself was adventurous training focused, aiming to improve the personal qualities of all those attending, such as courage, skill, and determination. As well as intending to form tight bonds of friendship between the students and enhance Squadron cohesion.
On the first day, we sailed out of Sibenik and to Primosten. Our instructors explained the basic sailing terms, hoisted the sails and each one of us took our turn at the helm. Our route boasted stunning islands, crystal waters and limited traffic. Everywhere you looked there was something to catch your breath, whether it was a dolphin dancing past, or a bay cut into an island, vegetation and rocks bustling around it. As we sailed, the students with boating experience were showcased through their strong stomachs, the rocking of the sea causing them no problem. However, for some of the group, the sea sickness was an unpaid extra that came with the yacht. This tested many students’ resilience and showed their determination as they gritted their teeth and waded through the feelings.
From Primosten we sailed to Vis and then Havar, each one causing us to moor up a different way for the night. This was through stern lines – large ropes attaching the back of the boat to a port or a natural mooring point, mooring buoys – large buoys chained to the bottom of the sea, or anchoring. Each method taught us a different technique and posed a new challenge when we started to think about how we would set off come the morning. These ways of mooring also allowed us to learn how to use the tender that came with the yacht, whether that was using it to reach the shore or having an evening race around buoys. It was used to improve both our skills and give a competitive spin to the trip.
Throughout the week, the strong growth of our skills was because of how knowledgeable our instructors were. They could answer the questions we all fired at them and show us the needed knots and navigation with ease. Although some of us were used to the navigation of hiking and flying, the bearings and buoys used for sailing were new to most. These were overcome throughout the week, as each route posed a new challenge for us. Whether it was navigating shallow water or night sailing. By the end of the week the crews were skilled enough to take the yachts out of the marinas and sail them away without input from the instructors.
The proximity of the boats, and the intensity of the sailing meant that the groups began to operate like a well-oiled machine, building our teamwork and communication skills. These were put to the test at the end of the week where the two boats competed in a race. This took us around a series of islands, where each crew was left to be independent from the instructors unless a dangerous situation arose. Points were given for going too close to the other boat or for sailing in shallow water. Although one crew won, every student finished the race with a grin on their face. There was a sense of pride for everyone to showing what they had learnt and putting their skills to the test.
We travelled back on the 2nd of July, landing back in Gatwick to a surprisingly sunny and warm England. All of us having made lifetime memories, from racing around Croatian islands to sleeping under the stars in a secluded bay. The expedition not only taught us the basics of sailing but also has inspired many students to pursue sailing further and gain future qualifications. “It’s a trip I will never forget and has given me many things that I will take forward into the future” – Officer Cadet Lucy Pepper.
