Tall Ships Venturer was a five-day offshore sailing expedition aboard one of the Tall Ships Youth Trust’s fleet of ocean racing Challenger Yachts. It took place in the first week of March and involved 10 cadets from Tile Cross Academy which is part of Solihull School CCF through the cadet expansion programme. Accompanying the cadets were one CFAV (also a veteran) and a female chaperone from the school.
We joined the yacht at Gunwharf Quays at Portsmouth and were immediately swept up by the crew into briefings and fitting of life jackets and ‘oil skins’. As soon as this was complete, we then cast off and made our way across the Solent to Cowes. There was some ‘shock of capture’ for the cadets who had not anticipated how cramped the accommodation would be and some were horrified by ‘the heads’ and having to put used loo paper in plastic bags! Evening meal alongside in Cowes gave the Port Watch their first experience of cooking in ‘the galley’ and the Starboard Watch their first experience of washing up. This was something all the cadets got used to over the course of the voyage.
The next day dawned fine but with very little wind so the motor was on for the journey to Weymouth. Despite the gentle breeze the skipper had the cadets hoist the mainsail to get them used to the process for later in the week. Older cadets who were studying GCSE geography were able to point out coastal landforms as we passed The Needles and Hurst Castle spit and, later, Old Harry Rocks. A spinnaker pole was rigged to starboard and cadets (and adults) invited to climb out to its end wearing a harness and helmet.
There was no rush to leave Weymouth the next day due to the tide, so there was an opportunity to visit the beach, climb the mast, and do a spot of crabbing. Departing for Poole at lunchtime the wind picked up and the fog closed in. It became very cold and slightly bumpy causing some cadets to go below feeling a bit worse for wear. This time we were able to sail with the main and yankee hoisted.
By this stage the cadets were getting proficient at steering, hoisting, and trimming the boat, sails, and sheets so when we left Poole on Thursday with a stiff breeze it did not take long to get the main, yankee, and stay sail up and have the boat sailing at eight knots, leaning well over as we beat back towards Cowes. An early start from Cowes on Friday morning enabled us to get back to Gunwharf Quays to clean down the yacht, get individual feedback from the watch leaders, and depart for Birmingham by 1230.
The cadets did really well and left more resilient and self-confident. But it was not all challenge and several very competitive games of Uno were played around the saloon table and some cadets were introduced to the game of ‘Hearts’.
All participants were awarded RYA Start Yachting certificates. Our cadets come from very disadvantaged backgrounds, and this expedition has expanded their horizons and shown them the huge and varied opportunities in the maritime industry as well as developing their personal and social skills.
“It was great to be back aboard a yacht. When I was serving, I did many Joint Service expeditions all over the world as well as using the Army boats on Strangford Loch and out of Bangor in Northern Ireland. Joining the boat at Gunwharf Quays reminded me of various voyages out of the JSASTC just across the harbour in Gosport.”
Major Neil Mackintosh
“I wanted to send a quick note to say a massive thank you for enabling us to go on the sailing trip. It was honestly a life-changing experience for me and my friends. I learned so much in a short amount of time, from grasping the basics of the new terminology that came with the experience to actually practising the techniques. From working with my fellow cadets to adjust the sails to helping out with the cooking in the galley, the whole experience brought us together as a team. It was a huge challenge, but it taught me that I am capable of so much more than I thought. Thank you for giving us such an amazing opportunity. it’s an experience that I will never forget!”
Aamina
