Page 50 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021

Exercise NAVIS CADET
OCdt Moffitt
On the the 13th of of December 2021 our our team of of five OCdts and our our steadfast skipper Major Simon Burgess embarked on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a 5-day sail-
ing ing expedition to the the Solent a a a a a a a a a sailing area just off Portsmouth Calm if frosty conditions for for the the week were a a a a a a a a a perfect match for for an an induction to the skills and drills that sailing a a a a a a a a a a a 34-foot Halberg- Rassy yacht entails Day one was as as expected safety briefs and and a a a a a a a a a a handover takeover of the yacht made for riveting stuff Spirits were were buoyed as as as it it became clear we we we were were the the the last boat standing as as as the the the COVID axe fell in in in fin some way or another A blow-by-blow view of of all other other Sandhurst crews being confined to dry land became our our own little badge of of honour That afternoon was hoisting the the main sail sail and and foresail for for the the the first time Dinghy proportions that many of of the the the crew had experienced seemed tiny as the the the the billowing sheets were winched aloft Dur- ing ing ing ing the the the the crossing towards the the the the Isle of of of Wight night night fell and after two hours of of of night night sailing the the the lights of of Cowes Harbour greeted our our our arrival We drifted in in on a a a slackening breeze The rest of of the the week followed on in in in much the the same manner with stop-offs including Yarmouth the the the Hamble and another Cowes leg Major Bur- gess had the the the crew conducting man-overboard anchoring in in in in Osborne Bay mooring to a a a a a a buoy tide calculations maneuvers in in in in the marina’s tight spaces and and becoming adept at at hoisting and and low- ering the sails Perhaps most importantly each of o our number became proficient when when coming alongside both when when operating the the tiller and the the mooring ropes On completion of the the course four team mem- bers received the the RYA’s competent crew quali- fication and OCdt Willis built valuable days of experience towards his Day Skipper qualifica- tion More importantly Major Burgess introduced all aboard to a a a a a a a a a thoroughly enjoyable week of yacht sailing 48 SANDHURST