Trying a different tack

Brixham in South Devon is home to the Trinity Sailing Foundation, a remarkable charitable organisation which inspires hundreds of young people every year with hands-on sail training. Experiencing life-changing adventure and challenge at sea has long been recognised as hugely beneficial – the Navy has been doing this for well over a century – but these days there’s no need to sign up to have a taste of life before the mast. The Trinity Foundation runs residential voyages for school groups, individuals, Duke of Edinburgh Award expeditions and gold residentials, and young people with additional needs. The fleet comprises three beautifully restored Brixham sailing trawlers: Leader, Providentand Golden Vanity.

Trinity also runs separate sailing holidays for adults and the cost helps subsidize the youth trips to make these experiences accessible to all. So mid-September saw me heading to Brixham for a one-week voyage across the Channel and back, on Provident. Setting off on any journey is exciting but heading to the sea brings a hugely special frisson of adventure. Following in the footsteps of countless sailors; hefting a kit bag down to the picture-postcard harbour and stepping back in time onto the graceful wooden decks of Provident. Built in 1924 at Galmpton on the River Dart as a fishing vessel and first converted for cruising before WW2, she combines the best of old and new: the 2 and 4-berth cabins had the comforts of good mattresses, bedlinen and duvets, and she carries all the modern navigation and safety equipment required by commercial passenger craft, plus a powerful engine,

Sailing is what these vessels were made for, though, and it’s a glorious way to travel: quiet and environmentally friendly, in tune with the sea around us, while learning the skill of setting sails to make the most of the wind. Taking an active part in the sailing is in no way compulsory, but you’d miss out on a lot of the fun and challenge of the trip by taking a back seat. No experience is necessary – three out of eleven guests had never sailed before - as the crew were outstanding at clearly explaining what was required as well as pitching instructions to people’s level of experience. Our crew numbered four: Skipper Ben, the Mate Jo, Bosun Fran, plus Lucy, our cook.Providentis rigged just as when she first went to sea: she has a gaff rig, meaning the large main sail and smaller mizzen are hoisted on a huge wooden spar attached to their upper side. The ketch rig (two masts) gives versatility – she can sail with as little as two and as many as eight sails. Apart from a hydraulic winch to operate the anchor, everything is done by hand, which is why traditional sailing is such a great team-building activity. Working together to hoist and lower sails, under Jo’s instructions, using the old techniques of ‘sweating’ (using your body weight to pull up the sail) and ‘tailing’ (taking in the slack and making fast), was a great ice-breaker and our mixed-age group (twenties to seventies) were soon working well together.

Our voyage turned out to be a wonderful week of contrasts. Leaving at first light to cross the Channel to Guernsey, arriving as the last of the setting sun backlit the roofs and spires of St Peter Port. Dropping anchor each night in spectacularly beautiful spots and being ferried ashore by dinghy to explore the picturesque islands of Guernsey and Sark. Our return Channel crossing was done overnight, and this turned out to be most people’s greatest trip highlight, despite the challenges of night watches (three hours on, three off), sometimes rather lively seas and occasional rain. Crossing the busiest shipping lane in the world, past giant container vessels, cruise ships and fishing vessels ablaze with lights, was a real insight into the world that goes on around Britain’s shores. And I’d thought a night crossing would mean no wildlife to watch (we’d had dolphins and countless seabirds on the way out) but far from it. Our wake fizzed with phosphorescence, created by microorganisms that light up when agitated. It was like sailing on an enchanted magic carpet – plus, to our sheer delight, often accompanied by dolphins that were completely lit up by the phosphorescence and looked like magical creatures swimming alongside us. Arriving in Dartmouth in the small hours of the night, in the rain, I saw the port in a totally different perspective from previous visits as a ‘fair weather’ leisure sailor: coming out of the dark to the welcoming lights of a safe haven; a mooring buoy to tie up to so we could fall into our bunks to catch up on sleep; peeling off slept-in clothes and luxuriating in a hot shower next morning at the yacht club; relaxing over a latte; and fresh provisions. Though the food was outstanding throughout the trip: our cook Lucy conjured up delicious, varied meals and fresh-baked cakes from the compact galley, in all weathers and sometimes very challenging conditions, with unfailing Aussie good humour.

The final couple of days were another highlight in the most relaxing of ways. Anchoring for a tranquil night up the Dart below Agatha Christie’s ‘Greenway’, landing at the pretty riverside village of Dittisham (pronounced ‘Ditsum’) for an excellent pint or two; and a delightful sunny, warm and gentle sail from Dartmouth across Torbay, all our sails flying. Then all too soon, after a week that in some ways had flown by and in others seemed so much longer, crammed as it was with new experiences, we’re back in Brixham to disembark. “Back to the real world”, sighed one of my fellow guests, disconsolately. “No”, smiled Ben, our Skipper. “Thisis the real world”. I felt truly privileged to have had an insight into it, even just for a week.

Sue Fisher

Trinity Sailing Foundation, The Sail Loft, Brixham TQ5 8ED – for more information visit www.trinitysailing.orgor contact Harry or Ben on 01803 883355 or team@trinitysailing.org