Caroline is a member of the Management Committee of Belfast Lough Sailability and as well as being a keen sailor who enjoys all types of sailing and a traditional Irish fiddle player, she also likes to put pen to paper in an effort to share her experiences and encourage others to become involved.Caroline describes herself as ’Vision Impaired’ as this covers all the ranges of vision difficulties experienced by many people; from mild to severe.
Caroline says ….
‘There is still hope for many people as they ‘have a go at sailing’ despite what circumstances they encounter through out life. I have learnt not to dwell on the problems of disability. I just get on with Living!’
What follows is a selection of short articles written by Caroline - we hope you enjoy reading them and are inspired to come along and ‘have a go at sailing’ yourself!
South Coast Sailing - Written by Caroline Hunter August 2007
I took the opportunity to participate in Blind Week and sail from Southampton, round the Isle of Wight and back to Southampton between 30th June and 7th July. We were four flotillas each comprising six yachts per flotilla and each planning a different route around the island. The sailors consisted of respective skippers, sighted helpers with a few visually impaired crew from all arts and parts of the British Isles. The yachts came from South Coast ports or even further a-field.
When I reached the berth of a 36′ Dehler yacht called ‘Krackpot’ at Royal Southampton Yacht Club, I was told by my crew “we are doing our version of the round the island race”. I pictured the wrong island …. Isle of Wight they were thinking of, I thought of Ireland. The fiddle case did speak volumes and the Irish music went down well the few dry evenings I had to play it!
The weather conditions did dictate where everyone sailed to. South Westerly Force 6-7 cancelled the French sail across the Channel for one flotilla. They still had a good sail on a ‘lumpy’ Channel. The remaining flotillas stayed round the Isle of Wight. (This is confirmed by the RSYC website www.rsyc.org.uk) My log records the following ports and moorings used - Southampton - Gosport I played music as entertainment for the medieval party.
Newton Creek, past St Helen’s Fort for lunch (strange having lunch as the rain poured down - oh to have a summer holiday in England!). Folly Inn was visited. We did numerous tacking for sailing helming practise; the sun did make an appearance occasionally. A second MOB practise under sail when Bill Gebbitt, a Krackpot crew member, lost his hat. In open water, the MOB was easier than in the Solent Water where we had to avoid all types of shipping. Lymington was a long haul in lumpy seas, well heeled over at acute angles. Krackpot held the customary party linked to Wimbledon. This was not rained off as thunder and lightening greeted our flotilla. Skipper David removed my fiddle for its protection before the rain got really bad. Everyone was dressed in their wet weather gear. The weather duly deteriorated so our party was short and there was no more fiddle playing for the parties until we reached the Hamble. We visited the Seaview Yacht Club to see their racing on the Isle of Wight. The visibility was poor as the rain shrouded the sailing yachts.
Generally after a while on board yachts the acute sailing angle was a permanent feature to my balance. Even when I was sitting still for meals when Krackpot was moored, my head would tilt over to correct my viewing angle of the person being addressed.
I was given the helm to take Krackpot out of the moorings provided there was clear water around towards the channel, if not Eddie (who could see better than me) would take the helm. Eddie believed like most of the male crew members the acute angle would help us to reach our destination ports quicker. He had no regard for the ladies below in the saloon trying to keep the galley items safe! Speed was what he was after - the more knots recorded, the more he smiled.
We left Osborne Bay and I retreated from the cockpit after my stint at the helm (steering with a tail wind is very hard!), David the skipper took over and the angle increased as the deck heeled. On close haul the only time the main sail was eased was when a crew member visited the heads (on-board toilet).
The Hamble was our next port of call when for the party I could bring out my fiddle and play music linked to a red, white and blue theme. I recalled the music used on the Last Night of the Proms etc. (remember I was playing for a mainly English sailing flotilla). For the evening party I was placed on another yacht for safety. The pontoons were rather crowded and the drinks were mainly ‘punches’. There was a fly-past by a bi-plane practising over the water so this ended my playing session even more. Everyone there enjoyed the unexpected show.
Bembridge came next before the Beauley River up to R.S.Y.C. Club called Ginns. By this stage of the holiday we had completed our song for the final gathering under shelter. Each crew had their own song performed in front of all assembled. Our song for Krackpot is below - summing up the whole event. We were heading towards the R.S.Y.C. clubhouse on the Beauley river battling against the wind and waves and the rain didn’t help much either! We sailed most of the way and only used the motor when we reached the river channel. This is quite tricky in places and you have to avoid marked pillars and floating buoys! The mooring buoys are marked with numbers but are not easily found when approached on deck. Krackpot’s crew eventually found our allocated buoy only to find we were away from every other yacht in the mooring. To reach everywhere we had to use the Club’s water taxi. Fender ladder to the rescue… over a cup of tea, around 1700 hours, we completed our song and prepared to leave for the meal ashore. I let David carry my fiddle case, as I was providing the music for our song.
Our song captures the whole week’s event in Sailability style. The last line of each verse is “Inky dinky parle e vous” French!! - you will know the tune and listeners are encouraged to join in.
Verse 1
When C’s on the helm we sail in the groove and it’s fairly smooth, parle e vous
When the boys take over it’s very exciting and we get on the move, parle e vous
It’s on our ear and then it’s not ‘Ready About’ is shouted a lot
This is what you are here to do
Inky Dinky Parle e Vous
Verse 2
C helmed first and we held the course, parle e vous
Eddie was next and had quite a force, parle e vous
He turned into Wallace of Nick Park fame
With a grin of his face he said “what a grand game
“This is what we are here to do”
Inky Dinky Parle e Vous
Verse 3
Bill’s best hat went over the side - in the drink,
Under sail we tacked and jibed, don’t you think,
Bill he said “just let it go”
Dave the skipper, he said “No”
That’s not what we are here to do
Inky Dinky Parle e Vous
Verse 4
The parties are great, with a theme each night - that’s been fine,
Di, David, Eddie and Bill on board with Caroline,
We’ve done everything that had to be fixed
Now our boxes have to be ticked
This is what we are meant to do
Inky Dinky Parle e Vous
The boxes related to the Health and Safety sheets for each sailing crew member. The sheets were in the introductory pack given to each participating skipper. My poor fiddle bow lost some of the horse hair during our song. I always carry spare bows, so I was able to continue playing after the meal. By the time the flotilla had completed their own entertainment around 2300 hours, we were ready for bed. We eventually arrived back at our swinging mooring around 23.30hours. The wind kept on howling through the rigging and we retired to bed around 23.45 hours.
Day 6.
Heard Oyster Catchers on the water around 0500hours, for the wind had eased from a force 6 down to a force 4. After breakfast the weather improved so we experienced a calm water surface as we changed the jib to be a ’self-tacking’ jib. On a smooth deck for once! I provided some Irish music on board with the fiddle - I was not in the way and everyone enjoyed the tunes. We also took the time to pack away our surplus belongings and prepared for the final event of the sail at the R.S.Y.C. As we departed our moorings the wind veered and lifted back up to a 5-6. we were travelling 9 knots over the ground, with a heel of 30 degrees. It was exciting, especially when I took over the helm from Bill at the approaches to Southampton Water. The wind had lifted to a force 7 (30 knots of true wind). The heel of Krackpot was quite prominent. Jibbing all the way until wind chill took over and I was relived from the helm as my teeth were chattering! We were doing short tacks under main, avoiding the moored ferries. Their shadow does provide more difficulties for those on the helm, you loose the directional strength of the wind to sail by.
PM - reaching our berth at R.S.Y.C. . 1400 hours made use of the facilities in the Club House before the evening meal. 19.30 - 22.30 hours - socialised with the other crews over the meal and afterwards. Final night on board before saying our good byes and departing for home.
Sailing can be an exciting challenge - Written by Caroline Hunter April 2006.
There is a thrill to be gained by sailing in dinghies/yachts on Belfast Lough. The use of sails, wind and current to travel along the water from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’ in order to reach a place of interest, results in a feeling of satisfaction. This type of sailing gets you closer to nature, ‘on the water.
The best elements of sailing are:
1. The sun on your face, sometimes.
2. The wind in your hair.
3. Hearing the vessel as she sings through the water.
4. The chat among the crew members; even during ‘racing sessions’ with the rain pouring down your ‘oilys’ (water proof outer clothing).
It is wonderful, when you return to the harbour after a ‘good safe sail.’ There will always be a ‘rescue boat’ out from the harbour, when ever there is a sailing event on the Belfast Lough.
‘Satisfy your curiosity,’ Develop and expand the level of conversational topics while learning new skills. I have found this to be a good way of socialising.
You will never forget your first sailing experience. This could expand your knowledge further as you …..
Give sailing Belfast Lough a try.
Trust in Action - Written by Caroline Hunter March 2006
To see ‘trust in action’ join a crew to sail dinghies. All members of crew have to be aware of where they are in the ‘cockpit’ of the vessal. Who is responsible for what task to acheive the goal of a good sail? The roles can alter as the sail progresses.
During sudden gusts of wind the dinghy will react and the crew member sitting next to you will keep you secure in the cockpit by grabbing on to your harness, if you are on the ‘high’ side of the baot and if they have a spare hand to do this. If you are on the ‘low’ side they will grab hold of some part of your anatomy to keep you in the cockpit. This is where the action occurs. It is the most stable and safe area of the dinghy to sail in.
Not all dinghies have ’securing lines’ on baord to secure your harness hook onto. Safety comes first with sailing. Everyone has to wear lifejackets to get onto the pontoons (platforms that float to allow you to reach the dinghies from land).
This has happened to me quite frequently, so do not be afraid to voice your concerns to crew members before you get into the dinghies at the start of a sailing session.
Mv experience in sailing a Squib Dinghy - Written by Caroline Hunter February 2006
It was a sunny afternoon last year, after the Belfast Lough Sailability Group had been out ‘on the water.’ Sailing.
Steve asked me to form a crew to participate in racing the Squibs. I was only used to keel boats or larger yachts. My response, ‘I will give this a go.’ I was free that day.
No problem getting from the pontoon onto the dinghy and back onto dry land. There are no guard rails to climb over. There is space in the ‘cock-pit’ where the crew sit to move around safety. During sailing you have to change places from port to starboard when the dinghy changes course and the main sail and ‘boom’ change position to make use of the available wind. The wind and water currents provide the power to move the dinghy along.
The sheets ropes to hold the sails in position and pulleys are small and easy to operate. The pulling action for adjusting the ’sheets’ comes from our muscles. One sheet ‘working’ the taut one and one lazy the slack one is very easy. There is a ‘jammer’ used to secure the sheets in their new position.
You will never be on your own as a learner; dinghy sailing needs two people and there is always some one to ask; if you have any doubts. All crews have to wear life jackets and during racing sessions on Belfast Lough, there is always the ‘rescue boat’ available.
I hope you have enjoyed this small account; all you have to do is ‘Give Dinghy Sailing a go.’
