06 July 2011

First 8-17 Year Old Trip of the Year Underway

6th July 11

image All arriving on Monday, the group spent the afternoon getting to know each other during team building activities, before enjoying a seaside supper of fish and chips.  After getting settled on to their boats, and having a safety brief, everyone could choose weather to go swimming at UKSA’s pool, or join a crabbing competition on the pontoon on a beautiful warm evening.

After spending their first night sleeping on board, and following breakfast, everyone got prepared to leave the pontoons for their first sail out into the Solent and down to Yarmouth.

Louise, 15 from Leicestershire on board Scarlet Oyster said, “We really enjoyed the sailing bits and the skipper has been fantastic, the nurses too and Sarah! The weathers been temperate but no-one can really help that, and its still been great.”

Crewmate David, 17 from Warwickshire added, “I love it, it’s been amazing. Ross (the skipper) taught me how to steer, and also tacking and winching on the first day.  Everyone on board can do as much or as little as they want to do. I’m really enjoying it.”

Vanessa, 16 from Glasgow, also on board Scarlet said, “My trips been wonderful so far, its great, I’m loving it!  The sailing and the people who are looking after us are all really great. I love Yarmouth it’s so pretty. The boats are all nice, we have been looking around all of them.  Sleeping on the boat has been fine. I’ve had a go at steering and I was scared I would crash but it was fine.  I set out cereal for breakfast this morning, no-one wanted bacon!  We’ve just been looking around the Yarmouth Lifeboat this morning which was nice too.’

Skipper Mark described yesterday’s sail on board Note Bene, “We got both sails up and drifted with tide, taking care to avoid some of the huge tankers in the Solent, then sailed to Lepe Spit and tacked towards Newtown. As the sun disappeared behind the clouds, the wind picked up and we all had a fantastic sail down to Yarmouth, our top speed was around 7 knots!”

Hannah is celebrating her birthday today is on board with Mark and said about her trip, “ Its been great, really enjoyable, the sailing, the shops, the games in the evening, and talking with lots of new people. Everyone’s working together well and we had a really good night last night. Yesterday I had a go at steering the boat and today it’s my birthday!”

Michael, 17 from Derry on Note Bene also said, “Its been interesting, our skippers a bit of a pain but its OK, I’m dying to find out where the fog-horn is on the boat, as that’s how Mark (skipper) woke me up yesterday! I’ve done a bit of everything this week, and cooked dinner last night.  I though it was disgusting but the crew said it was nice.”

Esme, 16 from Kinross is on board Trust boat Moonspray. “Sailing is good, I had a go at steering the boat and the wheel kept making me go from side to side, it was really good fun. I really enjoyed swimming on the first night, the water volleyball was fun!  The weather hasn’t been too good but it’s still all been good fun!  Natalie and Jodie cooked dinner on the boat last night which was really good, and we went to look round the Lifeboat this morning, it’s bigger than you think!  Today we are sailing again.”

The flotilla will be heading back up to Cowes and having a barbeque on their last night, before returning home tomorrow.