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The young crew of Queen Galadriel celebrate at the end of their voyage
A group of young people from the Isle of Wight are reflecting on a life-changing week at sea.
They have been on board the Cirdan Sailing Trust ship, Queen Galadriel, a 100-foot former Baltic Trader.
The group covered over 100 nautical miles during their voyage, which took them along the Jurassic Coast as far west as Poole.
The Natural Wight residential scheme is aimed at vulnerable young people who are not in work or education, and aims to help them build confidence and learn new skills.
Jay Smithdales, 19, from Freshwater told Isle of Wight Radio, ‘it’s really got me more confident with socialising. My self-esteem is through the roof at the moment.
‘It’s been so great helping people when they get stuck and being part of the crew.
‘I’ll really miss it.’
Laura Duke from Newport celebrated her 20th birthday on board the Queen Galadriel. She says the lessons she has learned on the voyage will help her in the future.
‘I’ve learned how to tie knots, how to scrub a deck, how to not fall over when it’s rocky and how not to be scared when climbing up the mast’, she laughs.
‘I want to be a medic in the Navy, so it’s been good experience for me’.
Skipper Claire Wincza from Cirdan thinks her young crew will take a lot from their time at sea.
‘One of the big things that they seem to have done this week is to conquer fears’, she says.
‘A lot of them came on board being scared of open or deep water, of heights, some of them really don’t like living in close proximity to other people.
‘They feel they’ve achieved enormously in overcoming their fears.’
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