Petty Officer Cadet E O from TS King Alfred took part in in the Tall Ships Race 25 2025 and described the experience in the following report:
As part of a group of 18 Sea Cadets, 6 CFAV’s, 2 serving Royal Naval Officers and a team of Sea Cadet staff including Naval veterans from all across England and Scotland, we met in Dover where we took the ferry across to Dunkirk to join TS Royalist – the Sea Cadets flagship offshore Tall Ship. Over the next two weeks we would be taking part in the Tall Ships Race between Dunkirk and Aberdeen, alongside 40 other vessels with young people under 25 years competing from all over the world. We took part in the Parade of Sail out of Dunkirk and sailed the 70 miles across the channel to the start line. We got a really good start and for the first few days we were holding 2nd place in good weather conditions. On the third day the wind changed, and we got caught by the tide and lack of wind overnight, setting us back and making us change our tactics as a team. Despite this, it was a demanding 5 days at sea with continuous sailing day and night meaning all members of the team took 2-2.5 hour watches so we could all get some much-needed bursts of sleep.
During our watch we took various roles. As watch leader I took charge of those in my watch and made sure everyone was happy with their responsibility from lookout to helm and bracing stations. After sailing nonstop for 536 nautical miles we arrived in Aberdeen in 4th position in our Class, and 5th overall in the fleet.
There were many celebrations across Aberdeen by people who came out in their thousands to greet and welcome all the Tall Ships to the city. We were lucky enough to then have four days of celebration up there where we had so many amazing opportunities to meet and share stories with all the other crews who took part. Highlights of this include taking part in the Highland games where we got to toss the caber and other highland sports against the other crews.
There was a crew parade where we were awarded the Most Environmental Ship Award and got to see large concerts including gigs such as the Kaiser Chiefs. The Red Arrows did a display, but sadly the weather ended this prematurely, but it was still a spectacular sight. For me personally, one of the best experiences was being invited aboard the Shabab Oman vessel for a traditional Omani breakfast which consisted of eating 8 different curries with just our fingers, while dressed in my number one uniform! I then got taught an Omani dance on board and had a tour of the ship which was quite stunning. All the crew of TS Royalist were then invited onboard HMS Mersey where we got a tour and the opportunity to talk with current serving Royal Navy Officers. Several of us on Royalist are considering careers in the Royal Navy so this was particularly insightful and inspiring.
On the final day in Aberdeen, we took part in the parade of sail alongside the other boats, many of whom were continuing onto Race 3 of the series taking them across to Kristiansand, Norway. We waved them off before heading back into the marina to end what was a once in a lifetime of experiences crammed into just 2 weeks. Having met, talked and danced with youth from all over the world from so many different backgrounds and cultures, we all came together in one celebration and learned so much from each other. If anyone is ever given the opportunity to join any crew as part of the Tall Ship Races you will get so much from it both from personal experiences and being part of such a unique event. I would like to thank The Ulysses Trust for their support in making this voyage and all the experiences gained possible.
Report by Petty Officer Cadet E O
