Children's Express journalist Christopher McCartney is going to sea - to combat a fear of water.
| Don’t get me wrong. I love the sea. But since I was young, I’ve had an irrational fear of being on it. |
Ten years ago, when I was six, I first saw the tall ships, so my memories are vague to say the least, but I'll be getting those memories freshened up when the magnificent Tall Ship Prince William leaves Portsmouth for another voyage with me on board.
Tall Ships voyages are organised every year by the Sail Training Association (STA), the world's largest sail-training group.
Sail Training is really about using sailing as a way to look at developing yourself, mostly by challenging your own fears and perceptions.
I was chosen for this voyage because I want to overcome a fear. My particular fear is of open water.
Don't get me wrong. I love the sea and it thrills me that I'll get to crew an ocean going vessel like the Prince William. But since I was young, I've had an irrational fear of being at sea. This is where I hope the Tall Ships programme will really work.
The trip lasts seven days in total - six days of sailing - and one day of training and throughout these seven days I'll be pushing my problem solving skills to the limit, as well as learning to evaluate and take responsibility for how I've performed.
Luckily, I'm not alone. The full crew of the Prince William is 68, which includes 47 other crew members, six salaried crew and a further 11 volunteer crew.
 READY FOR ACTION: Chris McCartney is to join a Tall Ships crew | |
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The best crews, it appears, are the ones that work together, helping each other get through the unexpected difficulties that the sea throws up.
This might mean being really focussed on doing your job in a storm, or keeping your mind occupied and your spirits up when there is no wind to power the sails.
I'm hoping to get over my sea fears on the first day's training and quickly become part of the crew compliment on the ship.
This type of sailing is a 24-hours-a-day-job. I'll be working everywhere, from stern to aft and port to starboard. Really, this is what I'm looking forward to the most, learning the inner workings of the ship while making new friends.I'll be throwing myself in headlong and giving it my all and I'm confident that I will get on great.
Whenever the voyage is over, my name will be added to the 60,000 other young people who have sailed with the STA since it began more than fifty years ago. Like the others before me, I'll undoubtedly remember this experience for the rest of my life!
About the team
This article was written by Chris McCartney, 16, and was published in the News Letter in Northern Ireland.
