This half term, 12 young people aged 12-18 stepped on board for an unforgettable Empowerment Voyage. From becoming a team on day one to discovering strengths they didn’t know they had, their journey was about far more than just sailing.
Want to know what it was really like? Hear it directly from the crew themselves in our latest blog 👇
Day 1
17 February 2026
Twelve strangers, one boat, one adventure. After some initial induction, we were split into teams of four to put up the yankee sail under timed conditions.
Through the stress, Izzy and Fiz (Fizzy) prevailed at 49 seconds of sweating. We somehow made it to Cowes, a secluded town, with Reika being a strong helm, without Reika and Fizzy the boat would have been overturned. Fiz had a harrowing, heated experience in a game of spoons, she narrowly missed the win if it weren’t to have been for Emile’s cheating. Some headless chickens did make our dinner, we hope we aren’t poisoned.
Special mention to the specific person who grated 232 blocks of cheese and carelessly dumped the sad remaining half in the bowel (the untamed tiger hobs). Reika’s phone password somehow guessed. Fizzy and Thomas made their way through the outback of her phone, discovering many things….
Fizzy
Day 2
18 February 2026
Ten strangers, two boats, one adventure. Woken up by Fiz rolling into the kitchen for breakfast, the sails were loaded speedily with yankee 3 being put up.
Through Thomas’ skilful steering (self-acclaimed) the crew survived the beating of the boat with 10 metre waves. Arriving at Yarmouth, Rizzi escaped unscathed from the snake pit only to be caught by Emile and JJ with rope work and treasure hunting (ie navigation).
The showers were pretty mid, there was only a foot spa, a hot stone massage, personal waiters and professional back washers. Coming out the ‘average’ showering facilities, the group encountered torrential rain where Thomas, and Fizzy had to fight the swordfish to pull the ensign in.
The headless chickens from yesterday were cut up into strips and pan-fried with seasoning and made into fajitas for dinner. Some discussions about past and current huzz were made, where we found out that Izzy’s huzz looks identical to Will from The Inbetweeners; JJ figured out for a name for Reika, Fiz, Izzy and Thomas, being Rizzyass. Finally, there was a competition on the plan for the day ahead which was won by a landslide by Emile’s watch, as we’re clearly better. The day was ended by the gang shopping for gold for the ship’s treasure chest.
Reika and Thomas (Rass)
Day 5
21 February 2026
First thing we did was set off from Poole harbour before 2 of JJ’s watch went down to make scrambled egg on bagels 25 eggs were being cracked in half or in Connors case the top part of the egg was cracked open then on deck again.
JJ forgot Fenton the fender and in a successful mission of the matt the skipper not noticing Fenton the fender at 12:00pm the crew was served tomato soup and 2 arm wrestles Connor vs Iyla then Connor vs iris Connor lost both as well the main sail was put up.
Then a manoeuvre was made when the challenger 4 went past the needles so the main sail was made called centering the main sail then Connor Seth Charlie and Oakley got use the foghorn in the ground cloud[also known as fog] as well rumours apparently known that foghorns scare away dragons from eating sailors boats ferries and cargo ships sirens were singing on top of the needles lighthouse.
The crew and all part from the skipper had to hold back the mate from diving over board from swimming to the sirens and when sailing into Cowes the yankee 2 decided to fall into the sea the kraken decided to try and eat the sail if not for Charlies brave sacrifice of his sweets satisfied the kraken now docked at Cowes harbour.
Rumours that Connor has read far too much Percy Jackson and that his surname is actually Jackson and that he has a suspiciously close relationship with Poseidon are also emphatically denied.