Ever spent a whole week on a sailing boat at sea? Well our students at The Stephen Longfellow Academy have!
Learning to sail the boat, put up the sails, tying knots, were just some of the skills that the students learnt throughout the week. For many of the students the opportunity to drive the tender and climb to the top of the rigging was the highlight of the week. Although there were difficult times throughout the week, these were almost erased from the students’ memories by the plethora of positive experiences, which was demonstrated by one student stating “I wouldn’t change anything about the trip and I would definitely recommend it to anyone!”
The life skills the students have learned will be invaluable and not be forgotten easily. Students were given the responsibility to plan the meals and then source all the ingredients themselves before setting sail. Whilst onboard students were taught how to then cook these meals from scratch which included a main course and desert. A truly beneficial part of the experience was that all on board then sat down at the table together and enjoyed the incredible food that the students had made. Having everyone sit around the table for mealtimes was a very touching and special moment and an excellent way to round off a busy and often exhausting day. Many of our students have not experienced dining with multiple people or even been at a dining table. After every mealtime, the students would clear away the plates, wash the dishes and clean the kitchen. These small tasks were life-changing for students as they had never experienced or been taught any of these skills before. The crew showed interest and wanted to know the pros and cons of each student’s day, which made everyone feel involved and part of the sailing family that week.
The whole week was a series of firsts for the students and hopefully one which they will cherish for many years. We’d like to thank The Cirdan Sailing Trust for the amazing experience they provided our students. We’re really proud of them, of how well they embraced this challenge and we look forward to planning more sailing trips in the future!
