100 Regt RA undertook an overseas AT offshore sail training expedition in the Canary Islands, Ex CANARY UBIQUE (Ex CU) Leg 7, between Sun 29 Dec 24 – Sun 12 Jan 25, involving 12 personnel, of whom 9 were Army Reservists. The expedition took place on St Barbara V, a 42-foot Rustler ocean-going yacht provided by the Royal Artillery Yacht Club (RAYC) under the Exercise co-ordination of Jon McCleery, Rear Commodore (Offshore) of the RAYC, and skippered by the redoubtable RA Bosun Ed Middleton. This expedition provided a breadth of opportunities for new and experienced sailors alike, allowing for the crew to pick up introductory qualifications, log further days sailing during both day and night, as well as for those more experienced sailors to Skipper during legs, rotating between watches on the longer passages. For anybody that thought Ex CANARY UBIQUE would be a bit of Winter Sun Harbour Hopping, you’d be very much mistaken. Over the course of the next two weeks a variety of legs would be undertaken varying from a short and sharp 11Nm to get the crew familiar with boat drills and procedures, through to a more challenging 133.5 Nm leg over a day and a half.
Inevitably there are costs involved with the organisation of such activities – and 100 Regt is most grateful to the Ulysses Trust for the grant towards running the expedition; without it the service participants would have to have dug more deeply into their own pockets, which goes against the spirit of what challenging adventurous training aims to achieve. Thank you Ulysses Trust!
Monday 30th Dec 2024: Puerto Calero, Lanzarote: Reporting to Marina Puerto Calero, the crew flew into the sun-soaked island of Lanzarote from across the UK and EU, just as wind and flood alerts raged back home. Having dropped bags on the St Barbara V, introductions were made between the crew members and the Skipper.
Ed Middleton RA, the experienced Bosun sets about rebutting persistent Sapper banter from the largely Royal Engineer crew that have boarded the RA Yacht. Training started with safety briefs and training for those of the team working up to Competent Crew; Simon Egan RLC, Anna Kirkin RE, Ant Butler RE, Charlie Calderwood RE and Jack Hind REME. This included cursing the pump for the tender as we completed more of the elements for Competent Crew. Meanwhile Rob Giles RE (First Mate) and Rhett Parkinson RE (Second Mate & Purser) head to the supermarkets for supplies. A member of the ship’s company, who shall remain nameless, did their best to fulfil clichés about Staff Officers and maps as the 20-minute bus journey from the airport to the marina had now been turned into an epic and unscheduled tour of the island courtesy of the Lanzarote Bus Service, monitored on Signal and aptly providing a platform for continued commentary and jibing throughout the week.
31st Dec 2024: Puerto Calero, Lanzarote – Puerto Deportivo Marina Rubicon, Lanzarote; 11Nm
Engine checks, preparation for sea and lashings of sunscreen. Slip mooring at 1000 and set a heading for Puerto Deportivo Marina Rubicon. Sail training begins with tacks and jibes despite the light winds. The crew practise the man overboard drills having already dropped Charlie face first into the marina in his life preserver to demonstrate its ability. Stopping over at an attractive sheltered anchorage for a late lunch, we arrive at Rubicon around 1730. Once the boat has been put to bed and we’ve eaten a meal of fajitas, the Skipper leads the way to the bars and cafes, on a mission to educate the crew on the benefits of a cocktail tree or two to see in the New Year. By 1030 he has failed miserably on this element of our sailing education and the crew are all tucked up in their bunks. The Spanish New Year’s extravaganza of fireworks has passed us by, with the opportunity for vibrant fiestas replaced by mugs of Bovril and Hot Chocolate and an early night.
01st Jan 2025: Puerto Deportivo Marina Rubicon, Lanzarote – Las Palmas Marina, Gran Canaria. 95.6 Nm
Happy New Year. Having failed miserably to become salty sea dog pirate party goers from the night before, the ship’s company roused itself to a morning breakfast and gear stowed making the St Barbara V ready for her first longer stint of the 100 Regt leg of Ex CANARY UBIQUE. A 1200 departure setting compass and bearings for Gran Canaria in light winds, the crew embarked upon their first overnighter of the Ex. Dividing down into 2 watches and set about ‘above and below deck’ responsibilities, this leg provided the basis of a 4 hours on/4 hours off work-rest routine, mixing between sailing above deck, and either cooking or resting below deck. This is the first real insight as to the potential for sea sickness to those new to the world of sailing, as well as an insight to the challenges of trying to meal prep and cook below decks. The weather is good, and the crew were buoyant in spirit as they tackled the first large leg. However, whilst the seas were not too oppositional, St Barbara lacked the essential fair winds befitting a sailing yacht. Frustratingly it was necessary to turn on the engine and ‘donk’ our noisy way south west through the tranquil tropical night, picking off the 95Nm in approximately thirteen and a half hours.
02nd Jan 2025. Las Palmas Marina, Gran Canaria
At 0130, the St Barbara V requested to enter the harbour arriving into Las Palmas Marina, Gran Canaria at 0200. The biggest harbour and marina in the Canaries, the yacht navigates and slinks its way past monstrous Oil Drilling Platforms that dwarf even the tankers and container vessels. Mooring on the reception quay, the crew retire to their bunks awaiting signs of life at reception in the morning. Remaining local to the Marina, there was the opportunity to head to the beach for a swim, people watching and a tasty beachfront cafe for a beer and a pizza… Definitely more Copacabana than Cleethorpes. Following an evening meal on board, we settle in for an early night in preparation for a 0600 hours morning slip.
03rd Jan 2025: Las Palmas Marina, Gran Canaria – Santa Cruz, Tenerife; 47.6 Nm
Early preparations between Red and Green watches, we’re all set and slip the marina under engine. Frustratingly, wind remained light but as dawn broke the crew marvel at the spectacular 0753 sunrise off our stern. Gradually the wind picks up and we can at last raise the foresail, albeit with a preventer on the main to avoid the hazard of an unplanned jibe, since the wind was coming from directly astern. Despite valiant effort and much patience, the famed favourable Canary winds still prove elusive and the crew are forced to concede to the elements, drop the sails and re-engage the engine once more at 1030 hrs. Later in the day conditions improved to allow another attempt at rigging the foresail for the last 90mins of the journey, arriving alongside in Santa Cruz de Tenerife at 1500 hours.
04th Jan 2025: Santa Cruz, Tenerife:
A day of sail training locally started at 1100 as we headed Northeast up the Tenerife coast under sail. Mooring off the beach of Playa de Las Teresitas, following some anchor training, all made it into the water, swimming to or from the boat to the beach. Smoothies and ice creams were consumed as the crew made their return to Santa Cruz with a series of man overboard drills and disappointing attempts to catch the flirting winds. A shore run that evening provided a crew meal in town as a change of pace to the cooking routine onboard. The Cruise ships locally dispersed their charges and the town was alive with music and lights. A National pop group entertained the crowds with their finale, followed by a Tina Turner cruise ship act, along with her dancers and their multiple outfit changes. The winds might not be playing ball, but the local atmosphere makes up for it.
05th Jan 2025: Santa Cruz, Tenerife:
The midway point of Ex Canary Ubique saw the departure of some of the original crew and the arrival of some ‘new blood’. St Barbara V said goodbye to three great shipmates in Anna, Charlie and Jack all departing as newly-qualified Competent Crew. New arrivals of Jon McCleery RA (Day Skipper), Owen Brown RA (Competent Crew) and Simon Martin RA and Lloyd Parsons RA (both sailing for the first time), took the ships company to a full complement, now comprising 5 Gunners and 3 Sappers and a Loggie, helping to establish balance to the RA Ship and to Ed, the RA Boatswain who had been overrun by Sappers in the first week.
The evening provided a platform for introductions between new shipmates and the reunion of some old friends, who dined on board to Ant’s carbonara befitting of a shoreside Italian restaurant and setting the benchmark for the new crew members as to the standard of dining for the remainder of the voyage.
6th Jan 2025: Santa Cruz, Tenerife – San Sebastian, La Gomera; 70.2 Nm
A reveille of 0500 hrs saw the new crew of the St Barbara V rapidly making her ready and ensuring that their own expectations of a leisurely start were put to bed early on. She slipped her lines and ties at 0530 hrs into the still, black, glassy waters of the Puerto Santa Cruz, navigating Southwest towards the coastal red lights of a windfarm that sits along the shoreline. Her destination for this leg would be to San Sebastian on the island of La Gomera. The crew split down into two watches, headed by Rhett and Jon, while Rob the First Mate took on the skippering, in order to get a vital 60-miler passage into his logbook as preparation for his next RYA qualification, Yachtmaster Offshore. The Southwest journey with the new crew was still plagued by the same key problem for a sailing vessel that was experienced by her crew the week before… A distinct lack of wind. However, for what she was lacking in wind, she was provided for by the visiting of guests as the passage was for a short while escorted by a handful of dolphins who played in the wake and swam alongside for a short while. Arriving into La Gomera mid-afternoon after 13 hours of sailing provided the crew some time for showers and a couple of drinks together in the bar where all the transatlantic rowers congregate prior to heading for the Caribbean. Back to the boat for a sumptuous Thai Chicken Satay Curry and then to bed – and unsurprisingly a cohort of men in their mid-30s to mid-50s created melodies worthy of an orchestra of warthogs.
7th Jan 2025: San Sebastian, La Gomera – Pasito Blanco, Gran Canaria; 89.6Nm
Early morning PT for most – a run, swim or both – preceded a breakfast of sausage sandwiches, utilising the HP sauce brought out by the new crew in response to desperate pleas from the first-week sailors. Then off to explore San Sebastian, which is a point of note in sailing circles, celebrating the history of being the last point of restock and resupply for Christopher Columbus before he set sail for the Americas and discovered “the New World”. It also is the departure point for many of those attempting to cross the Atlantic by Sail, or for the extremely hardcore by Oar as teams have set off to row across the Atlantic from here. A 1500 hrs departure saw the crew slipping lines to refuel, before leaving the marina and making East Southeast towards Pasito Blanco on Gran Canaria. The watch routine was established once more as St B went through the night, navigating under the stars, and fighting the motions below deck as efforts to get horizontal seemed to provide the greatest level of “comfort” for those whose sealegs were eluding them. Once again, winds proved challenging, making for scarce opportunity to get any reward from the sail and essentially making it another long chug through the evening to arrive in Pasito Blanco at approximately 0800 hrs. The white bungalows and attractive yachts in the Pasito Blanco Marina clearly showed the fortunate residents that live on the Marina, right next to a beach, with a pristine 18-hole golf course next door. This evening, the ship’s crew were treated to an incredible sunset whilst barbecuing steaks on the beach, enjoying sundowners, and having a lovely evening in each other’s company after several days’ hard work.
8th January: Pasito Blanco, Gran Canaria – Playa Blanca, Lanzarote; 135.5 Nm
Another refuel was required for the St Barbara before she could leave the Pasito Blanco Marina, as she was in stall for a rather large leg in the next couple of days. She would spend nearly the next 30 hours at sea with her crew working through the days and nights to keep her moving through the 135.5 Nm’s required to get to Playa Blanca in Lanzarote. As had become pretty routine for this expedition, the incessant hum of her diesel engine signified the distinct lack of useful winds available to the vessel. In the early stages of this leg, the ship’s crew made a valiant effort to get the sails up and work with what nature was providing, however the exchange rate was poor at best. The crew beat and tacked 60Nm’s through the evening for a meagre 21Nm return in her actual direction of travel. With such a low rate of return, and such a bad wind direction, once again the ships company would be forced to concede to the diesel engine if there were to be any hope of making our flights back to the UK on time. Thus St B donked through the night and into the breeze that was great for sailing, if it would only shift by 15-20 degrees. And so, with the wind on the nose, St B oscillated through a mounting sea that threw up a spray into the cockpit necessitating deployment of the foul-weather gear. Further challenge came from a leaking fuel tank, challenging of the Boatswain and the First Mate (fortunately a classic tractor enthusiast) to provide some running repairs and stem the leak. After what seemed like a mammoth leg for the crew, she pulled into the Puerto Rubicon at Playa Blanca, Lanzarote at just after 1730 hrs on 9 January.
9th January: Playa Blanca, Lanzarote
An evening in the Puerto Rubicon hosted the ships crew to a spaghetti bolognaise and whilst a very well-equipped marina, the crew largely exercised the opportunity of an early night on the back of a long 30-hour slog.
10th January: Playa Blanca, Lanzarote – Puerto Calero, Lanzarote; 11Nm
The final leg of Ex Canary Ubique saw the ship’s company return to her point of origin. She slipped out of the Puerto Rubicon in the morning with a little close manoeuvring to bring her onto the pontoon to refill her diesel tanks once more. Moving out of the marina, the crew had a final opportunity to practise a variety of skills and drills necessary for the Competent Crew qualification as they made their way north to the final destination. From practicing more man overboard drills, to taking the opportunity to drop her anchor and teach those newer sailors about procedures for anchoring and taking bearing to ensure that she wasn’t drifting, the St Barbara V had hosted a total of 12 Soldier Sailors over the course of the last two weeks. She’d put in the better part of nearly 500 Nm when considering the opportunities to beat into the wind and find some sail action. The Ex had developed the skills of the entire crew, expertly hosted and coached by Ed Middleton, delivering five new Competent Crew qualified sailors, as well as further developing the wider crew towards Day Skipper and Yachtmaster tickets.
Summary: Sailing has not featured highly in the AT experiences of 100 Regt – and it should. For it provides an austere and challenging environment in which to learn and develop skills, teamwork, observation, navigation, leadership, cooking, watching out for each other, cleaning up after the seasick, and also the opportunity to draw breath and marvel at the wonder of the star-spread night sky, the excitement of dolphin interactions and the sheer power of the wind and sea. Granted, the wind was not our friend during this expedition; but that’s sailing, and it is no reason not to go back onto the water to get more experience. Ultimately in 100 Regt we aspire to have a pool of experienced Yachtmasters who can lead adventurous sail training for troops across the military. Ex CANARY UBIQUE has added 5 Competent Crew to the foundation of that aspiration; it has reinvigorated the passions of long-absent sailors and has ignited a spark in all the novices who participated.
These are the words of Gnr Lloyd Parsons, the most junior ranking soldier on the boat:
“There’s something deeply reflective about sailing through the night and navigating under the stars to find your compass bearing. It really highlights for those sailors hundreds of years ago, just the level of competence and knowledge that must have been required to achieve what they had, without the kit that we have today. For me, it’s certainly fuelled a fire for sailing which I think will provide another opportunity to push myself mentally and physically. And, if that happens to lead me into the warm waters and sunshine of the Caribbean, then so be it”.
