Sailing with CSSC

I started dinghy sailing as a child and through HASSRA took part in the IDOR Regatta in 2012. From that moment, I was obsessed with big yacht sailing, but there was no prospect of me affording the time or costs involved in keeping a big yacht. So I carried on applying for IDOR annually and started gaining some RYA qualifications to build my knowledge of navigating and sea safety.

Most skippers seemed to be men, I didn’t ever get my hands on the wheel to steer the yachts, but was really active as a crew member joining in with heavy tasks with enthusiasm. Discovering that technique is just as good as brute strength, but I still didn’t see myself as a skipper in charge of a yacht and crew. Then I delivered motivational training to work coaches and did the exercises myself - (WOOP Theory) it changed my views.

I started by taking RYA First Aid to be more useful on board, I went on to take Day Skipper Theory and Practical with CSSC on their Suffolk yacht. Mooring was a challenge – like parking a car on a moving road whilst the wind blows you away and passing boats that are unable to stop have to be avoided!

I have met some lovely people on the way, who I consider lifelong friends.

Five Kingdoms Training Programme

This year a fantastic group of women based in Liverpool at another of CSSC sailing yachts – Five Kingdoms, organised a training programme so that a few of us can achieve the ultimate goal of becoming a Yachtmaster. This involves building up many hours of sailing, skippering and night hours. All possible without owning a yacht!

I committed to a challenging schedule – a week building miles starting from Liverpool, sailing to Conwy in North Wales, then the big one – sailing across the Irish Sea to the Isle of Man and onto Bangor, Northern Ireland then eventually Scotland.

Liverpool to Conwy was quiet with little wind so the engine had to be used for a while. We left at 1530 with the tide to arrive in Conwy around midnight. Sailing in the dark, using charts and lights to safely pass graceful wind farms stretching for miles, and on our starboard side a huge gas platform lit up like a Christmas tree belching a huge plume of fire, visible for miles – what a contrast!