Smooth Sailing: the Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) International Award

SMOOTH SAILING:

The Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) International Award

By Sichao Xiong, former Year 11 student, current student at Oxford University

5, 4… pull in the main sheet… 3… winch the jib… 2… bear away… 1… Go!

As the familiar voice on the radio marked the beginning of the race, the two platus (Dragon and Weasel) sailed off towards the island in the distance.

Only days prior, we had naively waddled into the “Sail in Asia” headquarters, clueless to how a sail works. The art of sailing mystified us as the instructors called out foreign jargon left and right (“Ready about, tacking!” and “Luffing up”). Under the wind, the boat was a wild horse, refusing to be tamed; our blistering fingers held tight onto the ropes as though the slightest slip would cause us to lose control.

As we gained more confidence, chaos became order as we began to work harmoniously. The skipper was like the conductor as they coordinated everyone on the different roles: steering (skipper), mainsheet and jib as each action had to be perfectly timed. Though separate, each of our contributions added several precious “knots” (1 knot = 1 nautical mile/ hour) as we strived to extract the maximum potential. The multitude of theory lessons allowed us to proficiently utilise the different points of sail to position the boat in the optimal position to

catch the wind. After putting everything we’ve learnt into practice, it seemed as though our boundaries were limitless like the ocean, as we now had the knowledge to sail to wherever we pleased.

With the assessed journey looming ever closer, we practised route planning on the Navionics® app, which uses satellites to extrapolate our location. Unlike previous DofE expeditions, our course would be automatically plotted due to the unknowns in the ever-changing tides and seafloor depth; the app would therefore provide us with reliable information such that we do not beach ourselves or crash into reefs. In terms of nutrition, we purchased the necessary food and emergency rations according to our meal plan and organised them within our dry bags to be taken onto the boats. Finally, as part of our Group Purpose proposal, we investigated ocean trash as this has been a relevant global issue for some time.

The first day of our expedition consisted of sailing from Phuket mainland to our campsite situated on Koh Yao Noi (approximately 24 nautical miles). Unfortunately, this was not smooth sailing as the winds did not play in our favour, meaning that we had to start the engine in order to maintain a suitable speed (four knots). Thus, naturally, conversations became heated with frustration when our engine refused to start and we started drifting back towards the mainland. Luckily, the spare engine was soon fitted, though we could only manage three knots as we had to run it at half revs to prevent any further malfunction. Ultimately, the original six-hour journey lasted nearly eight hours.

Upon arrival, as veterans of the DofE, we expertly set up the brand-new tents and prepared our Trangias (portable stoves) for cooking. However, a stark difference was exhibited in Trangia cooking skills with multiple dishes varying from instant curry udon to exquisitely plated pesto pasta with zucchini (which obviously won the cooking competition). After a tedious day of motor sailing, most of us were satisfied to have a hot meal after an exhausting day; however, further forecasts of rain and less wind in the subsequent days did not help to raise our spirits.

The next day we were pleasantly surprised to see several dark patches of water travelling towards us - the harbinger of wind! This allowed us to sail to several nearby islands entirely under sail. The highlight was definitely the miniature regattas where we competed to see which group could reach the checkpoints first; instantly, friends became foes as both groups competed for the advantage. Despite some minor conflicts, these competitive experiences continued to deepen our friendship. While munching on our Nutella sandwiches and tuna steak under a palm tree, we felt bitter at the sight of rubbish floating onto the isolated beach. These sightings of ocean waste including masks, milk cartons, tyres and even a watermelon reminded us to reflect on the adverse effects of tourism and anthropogenic activity on the local ecosystems, stressing the importance of ecotourism. Being active global citizens, we ensured that we brought all our rubbish back to the mainland to not disturb the pristine local ecosystem.

On the final day, we had an exciting cultural trip to Phuket old town, as well as a BBQ at the hotel. The atmosphere felt melancholic as all of us were reluctant to say goodbye to the boats and instructors for all the memories made. Without a doubt, I am truly convinced that this is the best school trip and that all eight of us will unanimously rate this trip a solid 10/10! With that said, we are extremely grateful for the Outdoor Education team for organising this brilliant trip, as well as the instructors from “Sail in Asia” for bestowing us with all their sailing knowledge. Clearly, it had been less arduous than initially thought - not due to being less physically demanding, but due to the expertise, deeper friendships and competitive confidence which we have gained.