JST Adventure Part 3 - Assisted Climb and return

On Day 7 and on our third  and final day in Madeira it was time for assisted climbs. This is an opportunity for crew members who do not feel confident enough or who would be unable to ascend the mast in normal circumstances to achieve  their goal. The three wheelchair users who wanted to ascend (including myself) assembled at the main mast and the others assembled at the forward mast. The rest of the crew are on deck to assist. 

How does someone who is normally a wheelchair user ascend a mast?!

This is one of the many amazing things about JST, they have developed a method of hoisting someone complete with wheelchair up to the first platform. When I sailed on Tenacious many years back, I was unable to take part owing to a fall and bruising so this was one of my goals for this trip. Although I am not fond of heights it was something I really wanted to do to prove to myself I was still capable of a challenge.

Here I was all ready, sitting in a fabric Bosun's chair and strapped into my chair. I had to swap chairs just after this picture was taken because it was discovered my chair was too narrow for the apparatus used to lift the chair.

Looking a bit more serious as the lift begins. 

There are two sets of ropes for added security.

My Watch plus others were there to haul me up with the ropes.

Up

up

and up

to the platform

where two members of the PC were waiting for me to be lowered onto the platform.

It was an incredible feeling being so high and able to experience being level with the yardarms.

This photograph makes it look far more scary than it felt returning to the main deck.

It is very humbling that all the crew involved in my ascent, worked together as a team and with good humour, to enable me to have this experience.

Thanks Guys, it was AMAZING.

 Many thanks to Avril and Mike for the photographs too.

After lunch Captain Chris briefed us on our return voyage and we set sail into open waters again.

Bringing the buoys in and lifting the DOTTI boat back onboard. 

Goodbye Funchel Pilot boat

Goodbye Madeira and hello choppy waters again.

There was a strong North Easterly wind blowing which meant we had to motor East before we could head South Westerly towards Gran Canaria the following day.

Happy Hour (cleaning time) followed our departure and Sam, another wheelchair user and I were given the task of cleaning all the stainless steel rails on the Bridge. The sea was very lumpy and we were both being tossed about so had to hang on the best way we could. This led to quite a bit of laughter and us both being covered from head to toe in Cif. 

We were glad when it ended and it was time to relax with a cuppa.

The following two days were spent at sea. The routines of the ship, wind across the sails and surrounded by ocean lend a calmness and tranquility that has always spoken to me and why I love sailing. I am not sure if it is pure escapism or being surrounded by the elements and working with nature but it has a positive effect on me both physically and mentally. 

We had seen very little wildlife during our voyage but on our last Watch, on the last day, we heard and saw a whale spout on the Port side of the stern. The spouts continued to the stern of the ship and finally on the Starboard side we saw the dorsal fin of a Minky whale. 

Excitement all round and it was the perfect end to a perfect trip.

Later that afternoon we arrived in Gran Canaria and it was time to stow the sails, sort and pack everything away. 

Once everything was shipshape we went ashore for a final meal with our Watch and a few other friends.

As you can probably tell by the number of glasses on the table a good time was had by all.

Although I had been very nervous about taking this trip I am so glad I dared to give it a go. New friends have been made, challenges achieved and as a result my confidence has improved. 

Jubilee Sailing Trust aim to change lives - I'm not sure if my life has been changed but it has certainly been enriched by the JST experience.

If you are interested in finding out more about the Jubilee Sailing Trust or would like to experience a voyage with them yourself details can be found here.

Photographs by Tony, Ken, Avril, Mike and Anne

JST Adventure Part 1 - Setting Sail

The Jubilee Sailing Trust was set up in the 1970's to enable both disabled and able bodied crew to sail together on a specially designed tall ship. STS Lord Nelson was specially commissioned and built through the efforts of an amazing, dedicated team and took her maiden voyage in 1986. Demand for berth on voyages soon outstripped supply and a second ship STS Tenacious was commissioned in 2000. Both ships have traveled the globe and Tenacious is currently in the Southern hemisphere and based in Australia and New Zealand until her return to the UK in 2018.

I had the privilege of sailing on Tenacious many years ago setting out from Southampton, crossing the Channel, up the River Seine to Rouen and back to St Catherine's dock in the City of London. An amazing experience, which I hoped to repeat one day.

STS Lord Nelson and STS Tenacious
Images from JST website

A number of events last year prompted me to decide that now was the time to have another adventure. Plans were put in place and I booked a berth on a voyage from Gran Canaria to Madeira, back to Gran Canaria in January this year. To say I was a little nervous would be a gross understatement, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.  

I have split my adventure as it is rather heavy on photographs. Some of the pictures are mine and others were taken by other members of the crew.  

All Crew 

The crew is made up of the 8 Permanent Crew (PC) who are all professionals together with 3 volunteers who are all experienced; Voyage Crew (VC) like me, come from a wide background with a range of abilities and disabilities. There were 3 wheelchair users, visually and hearing impaired and other members with a variety of medical conditions in our crew. Everyone has a "buddy", looks out for everyone else and contributes to the best of their ability.  It is a remarkable ethos and would make an excellent blueprint for a fully integrated, inclusive society.

My Watch Group, Forward Port, with one member missing who was in her bunk at the time!

The Voyage Crew are split into a 4 Watch system of Forward Port, Forward Starboard, Aft Port and Aft Starboard. Everyone has a Watch card which indicates when they are on duty.

My slightly battered Watch Card

January 6th 2017 arrive at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria

Lord Nelson is ready and waiting for her new Voyage Crew. 

The next few hours were spent meeting everyone, finding bunks, sorting luggage and equipment being distributed. Everyone is given a set of Oilskins, wellies and harness. After dinner and a briefing most people retired to their bunk to rest ready for the next day.

On Monday morning crew and watch group photos (above) were taken and Captain Chris briefed us on the journey ahead, which was described as 'interesting' owing to the unusual winds being experienced around the Canary Islands at the time. Drills took place involving lifejackets, immersion suits, evacuation drill, rope handling and muster stations. All essential before a sea voyage. 

FP Muster station

Those fit and brave enough took part in unassisted climbing of the rigging. A square rigged tall ship needs people to be aloft during sail changes.

Going Aloft

Venturing out onto the yardarms

By 17.00hrs it was time to leave Gran Canaria and begin our voyage.

Everyone ready to haul the ropes to bring the gangway aboard

View from the DOTTI boat

The DOTTI boat (ship's dingy) is launched and ensures Lord Nelson leaves the harbour safely along with the Pilot boat.

The predicted winds soon begin to make themselves felt with a strong swell and several people had to retire swiftly to their bunks with essential bags. Part of the briefing had been dedicated to the use and disposal of said bags, the most important being check wind direction before casting into the sea!

Sails were set and the voyage was underway.

Although I felt unwell for about 12 hours I was fortunate not to be sick and quickly began to enjoy the journey and the thrill of sailing again.  There is something very special about being on night watch, a sky full of stars and the moon reflecting on the water. We were under full sail reaching 8+ knots. Magical.

(Full sail in daylight)

Being on boat in a wheelchair was a new and sometimes exciting experience. A sailing boat by its nature is constantly moving and changing angle, which can make moving around on foot tricky but is a whole new ball game in a wheelchair. There were a number of times I slithered sideways across the deck, particularly if it was wet and the PC quickly provided me with deck clamps so I could be anchored to the deck. A interesting feeling being clamped down to your very own buckaroo.

There were magical skies at dawn and dusk during our passage.

On Day 4 we got our first glimpse of Madeira

This came as a huge relief to those members of the VC who were still suffering the effects of sea sickness.

Hopes for terra ferma were soon dashed however, because as we approached the island the winds freshened and the swell increased. Our watch were on duty and on the Bridge as we made for the harbour. Captain Chris and Pickles the Engineer took over the helm and all hands were called to deck to get the sails down and yardarms braced. As I was clamped to the Port side of the Bridge at the time it was decided it would be safer to leave me there than trying to unclamp and take me down to deck level. This meant I had a ringside seat while our Captain tried to take us into Funchal harbour in 30-40 knots of wind and a 2-3 metre swell. Like being on a big dipper with spray and waves. Captain Chris decided it was too dangerous and turned Lord Nelson away from Madeira and headed for the Ilhas Desertas. Three unihabited islands to the southeast of Madeira.  We sheltered there until the early hours of the following morning when we finally made our way into Funchal harbour in calm seas. 

A very welcome sight for a number of the crew.

To be continued with Adventure on Madeira.

Photographs from BM, Bob, Allan, Ken, Tony, Mike, Sam and Anne