Tyne South District Sea Cadets and Adults along with friends from Northumberland District Sea Cadets, Took part in an amazing offshore adventure this summer onboard the Training Ship – James Cook. The vessel belongs to the Ocean Youth Trust North and operates out of the Tyne. The Vessel had been taking part in the tall ships race in Denmark and our Cadets and CFAV’s were offered places to be part of the final days of the tall ships event and then sail the vessel back to the UK.
The adventure began in Newcastle at 03:00! The team mustered at Newcastle airport ready to fly to Schiphol airport in Amsterdam and then connect onto Billund airport in Denmark. For a few of our Cadets, this was their first time flying to another country and a brand-new experience and life skill.
The team then boarded a coach at Billund and began their hour-long journey to Esbjerg marine. The Port was busy with beautiful tall ships; they stowed their kit onboard and went out to look around the different ships and take in the local surroundings. They were given tours around all the other vessels and learned about their history.
Many of the cadets had never been to see on a small sailing vessel and the crew gave an in-depth brief and passed on essential knowledge for staying safe whilst onboard. There was not much room onboard, and it was essential that the team learned very quickly that keeping themselves clean, tidy and organised was the way to a successful voyage.
The next day a full safety Induction took place and the vessel sailed out in procession. This was called the parade of sail. It marked the end of the tall ship’s races. The group sailed alongside some very impressive ships, and it was quite an experience.
They sailed along the coast towards Germany before heading west to cross the North Sea. Conditions were good along the coast however, once in open sea conditions could change very quickly making it difficult to navigate the vessel.
Working as a team in difficult conditions was essential and the vessel would not be able to function without each team member pulling their weight and carrying out their dedicated role. Every watch had to know what their purpose was and to also look to the bigger picture of achieving the goal of navigation.
It took 36 hours to cross the North Sea and morale was high. 400 nautical miles had passed, and the team were still keen for more. The vessel had a stopover in Scarborough where the vessel was cleaned and made ready for the next leg. The Cadets were given shore leave and enjoyed everything that Scarborough had to offer.
Ther next day they sailed into Hartlepool Marina for the final overnight stop to get the vessel ready. They arrived quite late, had a meal and rested ready for the final leg of the journey.
They sailed between the piers of the Tyne the next day, passing herd groin and other familiar sights of the Tyne. They were home and ready to leave the ship and reflect on an amazing week and adventure.
This could not have been achieved without the support of the Ulysees trust. The Cadets and Adults involved have learned the importance of teamwork, trust and hard work to achieve a common goal.
