Abi’s diary at sea
When the youth group first asked me if I wanted to take part in the sailing trip with The Cirdan Sailing Trust, my first thoughts were I’m too anxious, I don’t want to be away from home for that long, I just can’t do it. They told me it would be a great way to meet new people and learn new experiences and also reminded me it would be a good idea to push myself out of my comfort zone if I ever wanted to make my way to Africa. So I begrudgingly agreed, having no idea what I would be signing myself up for.
Something made me push through. I got my stuff packed up the day before and set off to the Isle of Wight (including all of my art supplies, which proved to be a rather heavy load) with the rest of the crew, my thoughts racing with everything that could possibly go wrong.
“When we finally arrived, after a bit of an adventurous journey, I saw Queen Galadriel for the first time and everything suddenly changed. I was so captivated by her beauty that my fears had subsided and I was able to relax and enjoy being on the water.”
On the first evening we looked at the route we would be taking to Ipswich, we would even get to see the white cliffs of Dover where we might see seals and dolphins, I just couldn’t believe it! I insisted on cooking the apple crumble that evening, because despite the fact that I was excited, I had started to become super nervous and homesick again which also caused me to mess my timings up and forget to peel the apples so everyone had to wait an extra hour for a pudding which, thankfully, went down very well.
The following day we all equipped ourselves with waterproofs, welly boots and life jackets, ready to scrub the decks and set sail! This was it, this was the moment we would begin our journey! My thoughts were all over the place, excited, scared, curious, terrified… I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it. We scrubbed, hosed and began untying the knots harbouring Queen Galadriel, my heart beating so fast I was afraid it would jump right out of my chest and into the sea. I could feel the engine of the boat come to life all of a sudden and then settle into a gentle hum, not too dissimilar to the vibrations on a bus. I was ready, we were ready, this was the beginning of our once in a lifetime adventure!
The next day we would split into three groups; one group would get to go out on Golem (Queen Galadriel’s tender), the other would practice different knots and tossing rope whilst the final group climbed the rigging. The knot tying frustrated me because I couldn’t seem to get any of them right, Davide (Mate) reassured me I would get there with practice and also took the time to show me how to make monkey fist knots one evening after supper, despite the fact I was cack-handed and impatient. After tying the knots it was time to be taken out on Golem! The memory of whizzing around in the little boat around on the water will forever be one of my favourites. James (4th Hand) even let us take a turn driving the boat ourselves which was such an indescribable feeling of bliss We also had a go at using the paddles which was hard work but just as rewarding and enjoyable.
Then it was time for lunch, I knew after we had eaten it would be our turn to climb the mast and this was something I was adamant I couldn’t do. I tried to get out of it by setting up my art supplies downstairs and declaring I felt unwell. But Charlotte (Bosun) said that she would climb up alongside me and guide me; I dug my heels in as much as I could but she persisted and I caved, so together we went, this time I really did believe the anxiety would get the better of me. Up we climbed, with every couple of steps I would say “Please, let’s go back down” but she assured me I could do it and that I was completely safe. I decided that I wanted to be brave like Charlotte too. We went almost up to the top. I didn’t get close enough to touch or stand on the wooden platform, but I was so close! We stopped for a while to take in the view and snap a couple of pictures before I decided it was most definitely time to go back down to the deck. The sense of achievement I felt was so immense I couldn’t stop shaking.
We had a trip to the beach for a swim and a barbeque. This was great fun, despite forgetting any spatulas to flip our burgers, but we made it work and we had a lovely time getting to know one another. I especially enjoyed swimming, diving and splashing in the cold sea. On our way back to the boat we stopped off at the ice cream parlour one last time for an afternoon treat.
“I truly felt I had found my place and found a new passion in life. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving behind Queen Galadriel and the crew. I think the sea really did steal my heart on the first day.”
After taking a breather I decided I would ask about volunteering; this took some great courage but I pushed myself. Charlotte said they were in fact looking for volunteers to help with refit on the boat, she also told me about a potential weekend sail the next month, that I could apply to take part on.
I spent some time in the netting on the front of the boat watching the Red Arrows and enjoying the sunset then Charlotte took the time to show me around the engine room, the crew’s very own personal sleeping quarters and the control room where she explained how they navigate and plan out journeys; I threw coffee on the floor in such excitement.
At the end of our week, I felt like we were all one big family. There were a few disagreements between some of us at times but as a whole we all bonded incredibly well and had a laugh together, creating lifelong friendships. I will never forget our week in Cowes, how warm and welcoming the crew were towards us, , how friendly and supportive the rest of the people who came along were, and Queen Galadriel and her immense magnificence; she was home for that week and I look forward to nothing more than being back on board next month.
I think it just goes to show what can come out of just saying “YES” to something and not letting the fear of doing so take over, you just never know what will come out of it.
Abi