Over the summer four Scouts and five Guides left Nottingham for an adventure aboard Stavoros S Niarchos, a beautiful sailing ship. They arrived in Portsmouth along with Leanne a Scout and Guide leader who is part of the volunteer crew. Upon arrival they had to sign on and stow their kit and wait for the other crew who were arriving the following day. On their first day, full safety training was carried out. This included steering, taking bearings, how to use the harnesses and what functions ropes have and how to pull them.
It was then time to pull up the anchor and off they sailed to the Isle of Wight for the night. The following day they started off to France, unfortunately lots of people were suffering from seasickness so they turned back to anchor at Torbay instead. The seasickness improved in the calmer seas nearer the UK. At Salcombe they tied up and got into dinghies to go ashore where they went round the shops, cafes and had ice cream. They also had time to spend on the beach having fun.
Activities on board included climbing the rigging, enjoying the views, steering the ship and generally having a wonderful time. The voyage finished in Fowey and the Scouts made their way back to Nottingham by train with Leanne.
A great adventure for all – thanks to Leanne and all who helped with fund-raising.
