11th May 2016

South Devon College 1st and 2nd year Yacht Operations Foundation Degree students sailed two yachts, Aspiration and Endeavour, from Dartmouth to Roscoff in France on the 11th April 2016. The passage was approximately 100 nautical miles. The return trip included stops at Saint-Malo in France and on to Guernsey before arriving back in Dartmouth a fortnight later.

The students spent 5 days in Roscoff training and practicing their pilotage skills before sailing a further 80 miles to Saint-Malo. This section of the journey tested their navigation skills due to dangerous rocks on entry into the port; it required patience and some expert manoeuvring. The expedition then took the yachts to Guernsey in preparation for the last part of the voyage.

Andy Wright, Programme Coordinator for Noss Marine Academy and Skipper of the expedition said, “It was a fantastic trip, really great. The students each took the responsibility of becoming First Mate with admirable enthusiasm and esteem. The purpose of these mile-builder expeditions is for students to gain valuable experience of longer coastal and offshore passages, it also provides a worthwhile enrichment experience for the students to enjoy.”

The team had to manage tricky weather conditions with a rough crossing from Guernsey back to Dartmouth, the crossing took approximately 10 hours. It was the furthest south the yachts Aspiration and Endeavour have sailed, and the students were welcomed back by their peers at Noss Marine Academy after a rewarding and triumphant expedition.