Introduction: The Isle of Dogs Sea Cadet Unit is based in two state schools in the Isle of Dogs, George Greens School, and Canary Wharf College. The IOD Sea Cadet Unit takes young people from the Schools, from Year 7 to 11 (ages 11 to 18) sailing, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing in the local Royal Victoria docks and Millwall Outer Docks (DSWC) weekly in the summer term. In the winter we run enrichment trips such as visits, ice skating, climbing and Thames boat trips. We also run RYA courses such as RYA First Aid, RYA Sea Survival and Essential Navigation Courses as well as parade and drill sessions. The Unit brings together girls and boys from different schools, backgrounds to learn about each other and new skills and experiences over the long term. They also gain the benefits of the training from the National Sea Cadets Corps with Competitions and varied courses around the country.
Cadet Sailing Trip on the Ellen MacArther Cancer Trust Solent Hero
The Ellen MacArther Cancer Trust EMCT was set up over twenty years ago by the World Sailor Dame Ellen MacArther to take young people with or recovering from cancer sailing in the Solent and Scotland. This is an amazing charity with its own 45 foot vessels Solent Hero and Kalooki. I have been lucky enough to be involved in skippering for the trust over the last few years and approached them to charter Solent Hero for three days and Kalooki for three days with Sea Cadets paying a fee equivalent to sending one person with cancer sailing with the Trust, so this year we funded two young people with cancer to sail for the week with the trust from our charter fees. The challenge was to take cadets and leaders to live, work, sleep, cook, clean and sail on a sail training vessel for a weekend away from London.
We decided to use the EMCT sail training vessels as we had the skills in the Unit to skipper and mate on the yacht to keep costs down making the trip more affordable per person than our Thames Barge Trip last year. We also decided to use public transport to lessen the environmental impact and to enhance the experience of the whole trip. We even managed a table to play Uno on the train which we could not do on the minibus. The benefits apart from enrichment, being outside familiar places and away from phones was to all be together, working and socialising as a team thus strengthening the Unit bond and expanding the skill base of the Unit so cadets can use this experience to go towards their dinghy sailing and instructor pathway to teach other cadets.
On the first weekend we were stormbound but the EMCT lent us their rigid inflatable boat RIB so we could ferry cadets to the town of Cowes for shore leave in the country’s sailing capital. On the second day we sailed to Southampton in 20 knot winds with all taking part and seeing an array of cruise liners at close quarters.
For our second weekend we had amazing weather and shore leave on the first morning waiting for the tide to turn to allow us to sail to the Needles and out the Solent to the Channel. On our return we were caught in thick fog which cleared as we went through Hurst Narrows giving us an amazing sunset on our return to Cowes. The next day provided sweltering heat and we went to Osbourne Bay for lunch to see Queen Victoria’s Osbourne House.
We created lasting memories, acquired new skills, and developed a deeper appreciation for our environment away from London with two long weekends which we will never forget, will forge lifetime memories and friendships and deepen the bond of the Isle of Dogs Unit.
Quotes:
“This yacht is huge!”
“Thank you, this trip has been the best trip ever!”
A big thank you to the Ulysses Trust (without whom we would not have managed to go), Ellen MacArther Cancer Trust, and all the companies and volunteers that helped us.
A written report will never give the full story of the magic of getting out of London, sail training and sleeping on a boat. These trips will never be forgotten by cadets and leaders. Thank you for keeping the magic alive.
