Between the 8th of May and the 3rd of July 2010 a total of six cadets from the Air Training Corps took part in the Joint Service Round-the-World sailing expedition, Exercise Transglobe, on board HMSTV Discoverer.
Cadet Sgts Christopher Marchant and Stephen Lynn sailed from Antigua to Charleston. Cadet Warrant Officer Steff Page and Cdt Cpl Kirsten Platts sailed from Charleston to Boston and Cadet Warrant Officer Andrew Martin together with Cdt Sgt Gregory Kirby sailed on the homeward Leg from Boston to Gosport.
Involvement in the expedition proved to be an outstanding opportunity for the over-18 year old cadets to take part in a seriously challenging exercise in the company of regular service personnel where teamwork, resilience and determination would be tested to the limit.
The following individual reports highlight the success of the activity. The cadets who took part would like to express their most sincere thanks to all those who made their involvement possible. Particular mention goes to the Transglobe Team who welcomed cadet involvement from the start, staff at headquarters Air Cadets who coordinated the project and to the Ulysses Trust for their very generous and much welcomed financial support. Sqn Ldr Mike Blakey, HQAC.
Leg 11 – Antigua to Charleston Everyone assumed that gallivanting across the Caribbean for two weeks on a yacht would be a bit of a holiday ….. but by day 10 when you are hot, drenched through, constantly pitched at 30° and trying to sleep after being awake for 20 hours, you realise it’s not!
The challenge lay in the variety of conditions…. As we left Antigua it was around 35°C and 97% humidity…. there are not many places to hide from the sun in the middle of the sea! We were also battling with winds that within an hour were changing from a solid 30kts down to fewer than four. This ever-changing weather situation made it rather difficult to settle in to a rhythm whilst onboard.
The so-called “Gin and Tonic” leg wasn’t so relaxing after all. Let alone for four of the most inspiring men I have ever met. Our leg included four Headley Court patients who had been injured during service and were using sailing as a part of their recovery. The mental and physical strength of those guys gave me a huge reality check into what sacrifices our servicemen and women make for their country day-in day-out. And their performance on ‘Disco’ was truly mind blowing.
My thanks must go out to the Air Cadet Organisation for providing such an opportunity and also to the Ulysses Trust whose support made it possible for me to go on this once in a lifetime trip. CWO Chris Marchant 1239 (Broxbourne and Hoddesdon) Sqn.
Leg 12 – Charleston to Boston I applied to take part in Transglobe thinking I wouldn’t get a place. When I heard that I had been selected I was thrilled and was lucky enough to be given the Charleston to Boston Leg!
I didn’t know anybody else who was going so it was a challenge for me to be away from home such a long time with a group of strangers. However, I met some fantastic people and the memories from the trip have been phenomenal.
Although we had some difficulties with our main sail when it ripped, we all stuck together and made the most of the situation. Sometimes it could be fun and sometimes it could be hard but that made us stronger as a team. Cdt Cpl Kirsten Platts, 2431 (Keighley) Sqn
Leg 13 – Boston to Gosport This summer I was given the opportunity of a lifetime. I took part in Leg 13 of the Joint Services Transglobe Expedition. Leg 13 involved crossing the North Atlantic Ocean from Boston, USA to Gosport, UK over the period of 18 days onboard the HMSTV Discoverer.
I was very apprehensive of the forthcoming voyage because I really didn’t know what to expect. I had never been sailing before and didn’t know how my body would react to the arduous conditions. Unfortunately I soon found out it didn’t react very well… I suffered greatly from sea sickness and I had to find ways of coping with it!
For me the best experience during the voyage was being lucky enough to see dolphins swim beside our boat at night. The dolphins left phosphorescence trails through the water… they would swim in formation alongside just like the Red Arrows!
The scariest moment during the voyage was when we had a 30ft wave crash down on top of the cockpit where red watch was sitting. I just remember seeing the person opposite me with the look of fear on his face as the wave began to break above us. The wave hit the boat with a mighty bang, washing everyone from their seats and setting off all our life jackets. Just when we thought we were in the clear a second wave crashed down on the boat with the same effect. Lucky everyone was clipped on and secured to the boat. It was a truly horrifying situation but one I am glad I have experienced.
The whole experience was a true test of my mental and physical strength. The moment I looked forward to the most was when we were to arrive back at Gosport harbour on the 1st July where I had eight members of my family and friends waiting for me quayside. That thought really got me through the hard times.
I can’t imagine a more alien way to live for a month, bar going into space that is! Thirteen people confined to an unrealistically small boat, throwing normal sleeping and eating patterns out of the window, not seeing land or speaking to anybody other than the crew for seventeen days and the simple absence of daily normalities.
The knowledge I gained of sailing and sea navigation was just the tip of the iceberg…. It was an invaluable opportunity to be surrounded by a range of experienced and knowledgeable service personnel from whom I will take away a great deal into later life.
I would like to thank the Ulysses Trust for funding part of the expedition; I don’t believe I would have been able to take part without financial help. The experience has helped me develop and practice many skills that I hope to use in the future.
As an added bonus I managed to raise £600 for Help for Heroes. Cadet Warrant Officer Andrew Martin, 2203 (Hatfield & de Havilland) Sqn