WALES OFFICER CADETS TAKE IN THE BEAUTY OF THE HEBRIDES IN A NAUTICAL ADVENTURE
Wales Universities Officer’s Training Corps were able to join the Joint Services offshore sailing expedition HIGHLAND EXPRESS, on Scotland’s stunning west coast. The expedition aim was to give a new and challenging experience to some of the Officer Cadets and enhance the skills of those who had already been sailing. Four officer cadets from universities around Wales, with little or no experience, took the ten hour trip from Cardiff to Oban for seven days afloat.
As a Universities Officers’ Training Corps we are mandated to provide leadership development and Adventure Training is a key component of that. We are trying to stretch individuals to give them self confidence but also build leadership by putting them in unfamiliar and testing environments. A secondary aim is to build a group of officer cadets who can deliver adventure training and this a key component of the Wales UOTC Senior Division programme.
The crew were dealt a good hand with the weather, warm enough with enough wind to test them individually and as a team and miraculously, no rain until the last day.
The first day was all about administration and briefings. Signing for the boat and getting familiar where the kit was stowed and importantly, how you take your tea and coffee and where you are going to sleep. A short hop to the Sound of Mull and alongside in the sheltered Lochaline where the waters were mirror calm. The next day was an early start (a feature of the week) to catch the tide. Out past Duart Castle and heading for Croabh Haven. We had a lot of fun going through the channel between Lunga and Luing. Perhaps our passage was not as challenging as the Gulf of Corryvechan but it certainly kept us on our toes navigating the swirling waters.
Sailing is a social activity and the journey is the exciting bit but you do get to meet a lot of people when you do get to a marina and there is always a lot of chatter about the best places to go next. After meeting a couple of old hands the decision was taken to visit Gigha next. This fitted with the overall plan and meant a shorter leg but an 0500 start to catch the tide. Gigha is an interesting island owned by the community who bought it form an absentee landlord in 2002. The Islanders bought three, second hand wind turbines (the ‘Three Dancing Ladies’) to power the island and a fourth has since been added. The turbines provide power and an income to the community.
Day three was a short but enjoyable sail to the island if Islay, famed for its whiskey distilleries. We managed to get there just in time for one or two tastings before dinner. The next morning the weather was looking bad. The fog had arrived and visibility was limited. We held off until we could wait no longer and headed out into the mirk. The fog cleared and sailed through the Sound or Islay towards Iona and Mull. A long days sail ending in a fantastic anchoring location called Bull Hole. We took pictures of the community on Iona, the Mate’s daughter is named after the island, and found our spot for the night, safe from the winds and the sea swell. We had a family of seals popping up all around us, investigating their new neighbours.
All our early starts to catch the tides were rewarded with peaceful sailing and it felt we had the whole place to ourselves. There were numerous sightings of wildlife from porpoise, seals, gannets, and puffins.
We were now heading for home and a long leg via the basaltic columns of Staffa and it’s puffins, around the north of Mull into Tobermoray (not Ballamoray) for the night. Tobermoray is all you expect it to be, with rows of brightly painted houses on the harbour. An opportunity to relax before the last push to home and the end of the expedition.
The next day started bright enough with a good wind although in the wrong direction. We beat down the sound of Mull , multiple tacks, changes of the headsail, reefing and cups of tea. Eventually we decided we would be there all night if we did not motor from the bottom of the Sound across to Dunstaffnage. As soon as we put the motor on, the wind picked up and the rain came in. We motored home in full foul weather gear but with a great sense of achievement.
The crew learnt about wind, sails (and how to change them in bad weather), steering, anchoring and of course, knots. The novices were challenged and those with more experience practiced and learnt new skills. For some the challenge was learning all the terminology associated with sailing for others it was new experiences of haggis and whiskey and lorne.
Josh had a wonderful week ‘a great week of sailing with a great bunch of people’.
Joe, already a competent crew said ‘I will definitely be booking my place on a day skipper course’
As skipper, I thoroughly enjoyed sailing in a new location and I am planning to take another group (or two) next summer. The Joint Services team have facilitated a great opportunity for some amazing sailing and the Ulysses Trust has enable us to take the opportunity.
By Major Edward Brooks, Wales UOTC, Expedition Leader (Ex DRAGON HIGHLAND EXPRESS).
