Beyond the Horizon: The Art of Sensory Sailing

News article updated on a daily basis during the trip.

The crew is off on another adventure, sailing on the Yacht Nonna Olive, provided by the UK Sailing Academy. What an incredible journey!

Yesterday, the trip kicked off in Southampton. Skipper David, along with first mate Jennie and second mate Helen, picked up the yacht in Cowes and sailed it over. At the same time, the visually impaired crew members were travelling from all over the UK to meet them safely at the quay.

After everyone was on board, they set sail for Lymington, spending their first night on the yacht.

Today started with a little rain, but it hasn’t dampened anyone’s spirits. The crew is cheerful and ready for their next challenge, sailing towards Cowes and then on to Yarmouth.

This week is a chance for everyone to call the open water their home and work together as a team. We’re all rooting for them!

Sighted Crew Reports:

Skipper David Thompson said:

As skipper for the trip I had a great time with incredible support from Jennie and Helen as sighted volunteers plus of course our four VI crew.

Everyone contributed to everything we did from hauling sails to making the skipper coffee and tea. I have to admit that the changing forecasts made planning where to go tricky and at one point it looked like we may be storm bound in port for at least one day due to the extremely gusty wind conditions and heavy rain.

Fortunately we were able to sail every day and though we got very wet and had windy conditions everyone remained in good humour throughout. Great to sail with Visa as always. Thank you to everyone for the smiles laughter and stories.

1st Mate Jenny Horton said:

As a sighted 1st mate, it is always inspiring to be part of a crew on a VISA trip. The trip is always more than just about sailing – it is bigger than the sum of its various parts – planning together, working the boat, sharing meals, housekeeping, shore activities, sharing stories and experiences, and melding 7 separate people into a trusting, caring and efficient crew.

This trip delivered all of those, over a very enjoyable week. The sailing conditions were challenging, with Spring tides and strong gusty conditions in the Solent, but we had excellent sailing, with different destinations each night.

With so much laughter, and memorable moments, this made for another very enjoyable week as a volunteer, enabling VI crew members to experience sailing as fully as possible.

2nd Mate Helen Miller said:

Just back from my first VISA trip, a week around The Solent, as 2nd mate to skipper David and 1st mate Jennie and our 4 VI crew Diane, Paula, Dan and Anita. I had no idea what to expect – but nothing could have prepared me for having such a fun time with such a great team. I am so in awe of the VI crew, who threw themselves wholeheartedly into the sailing activities, including sorting fenders and lines, helming, hoisting and setting sails… And it was great to help facilitate your participating in sailing, which I love. Thank you for your trust and for teaching me how to guide, give clearer information, etc. Thanks also to David and Jennie for planning our voyage, keeping us safe, and giving us a wide and interesting range of ports of call, despite Storm Amy’s best efforts! I’d love to sail with you all, and VISA, again. Helen

Visually Impaired Sailing Crew Reports

Anita Davies said:

I love sailing. I love the speed of the boat with the wind in my face and in my hair.

Even when it’s raining it doesn’t bother me, sailing gives you the ability to be with nature even in the rain and when it’s calm.

I had a great week, even though the weather conditions were not the best, we still were able to sail with either the main or the jib and had experience of putting them both up and down as well as being on the helm.

You appreciate it when you’re listening to the skipper or the sighted crew how challenging sailing a yacht can be, especially when you’re having to take into account the tide and the weather conditions and other vessels.

Even though it’s a big responsibility for them, they’re still able to guide and help us to be very much part of it, as well as working with us in a positive way to do all the other skills such as cleaning and cooking.

Everybody pitched in and learnt a lot about each other and I had a great week.

Thank you very much to Visa, the UKSA in Cowes and the volunteers for allowing this to happen and for everybody who shared the week with me.

Paula Page said:

I had never sailed with VISA before, so wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a very similar trip to what I had done before with other groups.

One of the things I enjoy about sailing is that yachts are all quite similar, so once I am on board, I feel much more independent, because making my own way round the boat isn’t difficult.

I had a brilliant week with lovely sighted and VI crew, we all got on very well together, and had some great laughs! The weather was disappointing at times, I have to admit, I really don’t like rain.

I also really didn’t sleep well at night, which meant that by about day 4, I was so tired, I spent the morning down below, rather than on deck, but I Was never made to feel that I wasn’t contributing enough.

Everyone was very supportive and kind. One of the highlights was being able to look around one of the Challenger yachts, which is a 72 ft yacht, and it was fascinating! 0

Overall, it was a lovely week, I’ve made some good friends, and I’m looking forward to booking on another VISA trip next year!

Diane Roworth said:

I love sailing with VISA as it puts me in touch with all the elements of sailing I can’t get anywhere else. The unpredictability of the weather and virtues of good waterproof clothing were very evident this week! . I so admire the sighted crew for their willingness to involve us with everything and patience when something goes wrong. A successful man overboard routine rescued a fender that flew off the rail, very tight pontoon mooring spaces showed us how to use ropes to walk the boat past another moored boat and safely onto the pontoon. We sailed upwind, down wind and motored when cibditions demanded it being fully involved with tacking and gybing. I love listening to our talented sighted crew discussing tides, winds, channels and describing tankers, ferries, cruise ships the Waverley Steam Ship, tugs and sandbanks as we came across them during the week. There was never a dull moment with so many experiences and a lively new crew of sighted and VI people to get to know. I loved it all, and was really happy being on deck feeling the wind, the waves and yes, the rain too! Its all part of sailing in the UK. THanks EVERYONE at VISA, without you, I would not be able to do it.

Dan said:

I had an amazing week, we all gelled well as a crew, I loved helming the boat, pulling ropes and climbing over the decks to put the fenders out and winding the anchor up, it’s just been a great week and looking forward to my next trip next year.