Tenacious to me means community, friendship and inclusivity. There is no other ship in the world where someone like me with a physical disability can sail. I have moderate cerebral palsy which means I have limited movement down my left hand side, limited balance and can only walk short distances. At the start of my voyages I am always met by smiling permanent crew who are always so welcoming. There is a way to adapt and being on Tenacious looks at what individuals can do, not what they can’t. Tenacious has a wide deck so wheelchair users can whizz round and help pull a sail, hand rails so those like me with wobbly legs can pull the sails to the call of two, six, heave. When you first board Tenacious you’re a group of strangers, but I have never seen teamwork grow faster than on a tall ship. Everyone pulls together on the watches, mess duty in the galley or pulling sails. On my last voyage in Antigua me and two of the other watch leaders had various disabilities but it didn’t matter that Jackie was registered blind, she could still direct her sighted watch on what to look out for on night watch in the middle of the sea. From the Caribbean voyage I will remember dancing with Jackie and loads of other voyage crew with various disabilities, feeling included, being part of something and I think that is what life is about.
Throughout my life it’s always been Kate you can’t do that activity holiday, you can’t horse ride with us you’re too disabled but on Tenacious I feel valued and included.