It was an unforgettable journey for twelve young individuals who had the chance to embark on a life-changing expedition aboard the James Cook with the Ocean Youth Trust, thanks to the generous support of the Ulysses Trust. Coming from diverse backgrounds, including those in the local authority care system, these young people had the opportunity to sail along the Northeast coast, visiting various ports and honing essential sailing skills.
On day one aboard the James Cook, the participants learned all about the health and safety of life on a sailing vessel, this covered man overboard what to do if a crew member fell into the sea, they also found out all about the jackstay a safety line that the crew clip onto as well as valuable skills in seamanship skills for mooring, sail work, and all the emergency procedures. After this, the cadets set sail and headed for Blyth Harbour for the night.
The following days comprised of cadets taking part in watch leading which was composed of three hours of working time, three hours off rest time and three hours on standby ready to help with any duty. They took part in sail handling taking the helm of the ship and keeping in on the course, following the plan of navigation that the cadets plot using charts and compasses this took them to Amble, Grimbsy, Whitby and Hull. They also navigated the challenges through sea sickness, worked together in the ships galley to prep and cook all the meals.
Beyond the practical skills, the expedition provided a rare opportunity for these young individuals to disconnect from the digital world and immerse themselves in a real-life experience. Away from the pressures of social inequalities and the influence of social media, they had the chance to bond as a team, appreciate nature, and build lasting memories. The also go to work through a tough times like when a crew member hurts themselves and had to leave the vessel they discovered the importance of teamwork and true friendhip.
Each participant took away something unique from the experience, whether it was mastering new skills, witnessing breathtaking sunrises and sunsets, or simply embracing the spirit of adventure. The impact of this expedition was profound, offering these young individuals a sense of belonging, equality, and personal growth.
“I loved guided learning being shown how to do something then seeing it work. The best bit was putting up the main mast as you had to do a little jump and pull the rope that was fun.”
A quote from one young cadet
The Trustees of the Ulysses Trust and the Ocean Youth Trust are commended for providing this transformative opportunity, which has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on the lives of these twelve young individuals.
One of the cadets wrote the following artilce about their experience:
“I spent 7 days on the James Cook with members of my sea cadet unit. We set off from Royal Quays marina on the 22nd of July 2024 and stopped at Blythe, Amble, The Farne Isle, North Shields Marina and then a 36 hour trip to Hull.
“There were 11 other cadets with me on the ship and 6 members of staff (2 from cadets and 4 from the Ocean Youth Trust). Everyone on the boat was really nice (especially the sea staff) and we had lots of fun singing songs and playing games during the voyage. I was nervous about meeting the sea staff at first, but I realised as soon as I met them that I had nothing to worry about.
“I was also nervous about helping on the ship, but it was actually really fun learning new skills and information about how to run a sailing boat, like how to raise the sails, steering the boat, different knots and working different “watches”. On the 36-hour trip to Hull, the watches I was rotated onto let me see the sun set and the sun rise, which was really beautiful. I thought I would struggle going to bed and getting up again, but I was fine. We also saw seals and had fun naming them.
“The meals we ate on the boat were all prepared by us and were delicious! my favourite meal on the boat was creamy bacon pasta but I also really liked the fajitas. I thought it was really good that we had to cook our own meals and clean up afterwards. After a couple of days, we just knew what tasks needed doing for each job. On a nighttime we played games like “among us” and made loom bands, it was nice to relax after a busy day doing fun things.
“I loved my time on the James Cook and would defiantly go again if given the chance. It was an amazing experience! Thank you.”
