At Giant Peach we are known for our regular events – thought leadership seminars, drinks get togethers and dinner clubs but this time we thought we’d try something different. We thought we would try our hand out on the open sea for a spot of sailing! On Wednesday we headed off to the Mercury Yacht Harbour to meet up with some of our clients and our skipper for the day Rick and crew member Mike.
We couldn’t have picked a better day for it, as we arrived the sun was shining and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, we just hoped there was enough wind for the sails! We all headed down the pontoon and there she was, Ocean Venture, a beautiful yacht that has a wonderful history including a trip across the Atlantic. As soon as we climbed on board the work began, this wasn’t going to be a relaxing day sunbathing on board, we were going to be learning the ‘ropes’.
All hands were on deck to hoist up the sails as we headed off up the river Hamble and out to the Solent. There was a great team spirit as everyone had a chance to get involved, both the experienced sailors and the novices amongst us. Before we knew it we had lowered the anchor just off the Isle of Wight for a spot of lunch, not before a few of us jumped overboard for a dip in the sea.
After some well earned refreshments sadly it was time to head back. We had another great couple of hours taking it in turns to trim the sails and having a go on the helm. And as we approached the Marina there was a tinge of sadness that the day had come to an end. Everyone had such a fantastic day and even the novices amongst us can now feel the lure of the wind in the sails on the open seas. I’m sure it won’t be long before we’re out on the water again.
