Teenagers race on the high seas from England

Teenagers race on the high seas from England

21 September 2016

A GROUP of seafaring Downpatrick cousins have returned home from a once-in-a-lifetime voyage.

Mollie, Celine, Caitlin and Nathan Egan took part in a Tall Ships adventure and won a race across the North Sea into the bargain.

The Egans have enjoyed learning dinghy sailing in local facilities such as Killyleagh Outdoor Adventure Centre over the past five years since settling in the Downpatrick area after travels abroad that included living in Germany.

So when the opportunity came to join the 100 year-old Vega Gamleby, part of the iconic Tall Ships collection, Mollie (15), Celine (16) and Caitlin (13), joined by Nathan (21) who now lives in Belfast, jumped at the chance.

Sailing 500 nautical miles in five days between Gothenburg in Sweden and Blythe on the north cost of England was the first part of the adventure where the young crew learned their trade. Then it was full steam ahead back again to Sweden for the North Sea Tall Ships Regatta.

Mollie explained that the young crew from around the world had many responsibilities including the tough task of putting up the sails, trimming the sails, and four hour night watches.

“I was on from 4am to 8am,” said Mollie. “There were eight in every watch. Putting the sails up was scary. You climb to about half way up and you were strapped in only when you stopped. When you’re there you can’t let go.”

The Egans were on the Vega Gamleby, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. Built in Sweden, she was destined to be broken up at Finnboda shipyard in Stockholm in 1985, but was saved at the last minute and a large-scale restoration project begun. At 30.5 metres long and 7.7 metres wide she holds 12 crew and 36 trainees on board.

“I particularly enjoyed the crew parade both in Blythe and Gothenburg, all the crew got to dress up,” Mollie added. “We won the crew parade in Blyth.

“The race then started from Blyth and everyone went their own ways. It took us two days, seven hours, 59 mins and 15 seconds and we crossed the finish line near Denmark.

“It was a lot more serious on that journey, more work trimming the sails and generally more work to be done.”

Celine and Caitlin sat it out on the last leg of the trip due to sea sickness, but if they could solve that problem would definitely do it again.

“We got to meet people from around the world, including Norwegians, Swedish and Danish people and people from England,” said Celine, who just this week qualified as a dinghy instructor.

All are keen to continue their dinghy sailing.

“We first saw the dinghy sailing here at an open day in Newcastle,” said Caitlin. “We turtled (turned upside down), but it didn’t put us off. We wanted to know when we could do it again.”

The family have been involved with the Seaboard voluntary group and recommend checking out Windseeker, which organises training trips for young people across the seas, for anyone else wanting to take on a similar challenge.