In 2017 I was diagnosed with Prostate cancer (aged 68). Short version: spinal surgery, rehab, discharged in wheelchair in 2018. Previous to this, I had obtained a Yachtmaster Ocean Certificate in 1998, and had 14.5K nautical miles logged, sailing in various parts of the world. Coming to terms with living in a wheelchair, all thoughts of sailing again had completely vanished.
In 2019, Spinal Injuries Ireland (SII) chartered the Lord Nelson, sister ship of Tenacious, for a fund raising trip from Cobh in Ireland to Poole in England, and HEY, my daughter Jane, who hates sailing, is offering to be my buddy. I cannot describe what that trip meant to me – back on watch at 4 am – bring it on!!
Then in 2021, SII chartered Tenacious for a voyage from Poole to Dublin. I was in like a shot! My brother-in-law Kevin was my buddy, and Jane came as voyage crew. Jane had become quite involved with the JST. She had volunteered for maintenance periods and spent several weeks onboard Tenacious helping out. She also sailed on many voyages round the UK, Norway and the Caribbean, as a watch leader and a Bosun’s Mate.
I thought Tenacious was an institution which would last for ever, seeing how people of all levels of disability worked together with the permanent crew, with all that that entails – climbing the mast, raising the sails, mess duty, and steering the ship. Such positivity, shared stories, shared burdens, friendships forged through the voyages, countless numbers of people all feeling better from having spent time on these ships.