Page 18 - QARANC Vol 19 No 2 2021

16 The Gazette QARANC Association
EX
NORTHERN
SEA
SERPENT
JHG(N) offshore sailing EX NORTHERN SEA SERPENT, was the first and much-anticipated adventure training for the unit since the prevalence of COVID-19. The crew consisted of two experienced skippers; Surgeon Commander Mellor and Colonel Frazer. The remaining crew members were six QARANC nurses (some of whom had no prior sailing or sea exposure) eagerly awaiting this adventure. To ensure safe social distancing and COVID-19 compliance, the crews were separated over two different weeks. Throughout the exercise, each crew encountered and overcame the demanding waves of the North Sea to accomplish a series of drastic transits around the West Coast of Scotland. EX NORTHERN SEA SERPENT was not for the faint-hearted, but was the boost in morale the unit deserved after a year of working on the front-line of COVID-19.
The first crew assembled in Craobh Haven Marina on board Equinox, a 36-foot yacht that was rigged and ready to go. Safety checks commenced, introductions flowed, lines were slipped from the pontoon, and the yacht headed towards the open sea. The mainsail was released and the crew sailed at a cruising speed through the Sound of Insh. Dramatic landscapes and soaring mountains intensified the efforts of the crew on board, as the picturesque islands of the Inner Hebrides became the backdrop to their sailing adventure.
The first destination was Canna, an island so remote it only has 10 residents. Derelict churches, a small café, and a rare sighting of a sea eagle welcomed their arrival. The sails were dropped, the yacht was moored onto a buoy and the dinghy inflated as the crew rowed their way to shore to appreciate closer views.
The next morning the crew trekked
around the island, heading for
the highest point to admire
the white sandy beaches
nestled within the
coastline.