Air cadet to take part in yacht expedition
AN AIR cadet is on the trip of a lifetime as he takes part in a leg of a roundthe-world yacht expedition.
Cadet Warrant Officer Matthew Taylor, 19, from Pyle, has been picked to take part in the Exercise Transglobe expedition, which gives airmen, soldiers and sailors an opportunity to sail the world on two yachts.
The expedition, which is intended to develop leadership, initiative and resilience in military per- sonnel, started from Gosport, Hampshire, in July last year.
It will last for 35,000 nautical miles, stopping at Rio de Janeiro, Cape Town, Sydney and other destinations.
A total of 392 women and men, from both the reserve and regular services, will take part during the 13 legs of the journey before it ends in Gosport in August, 2016.
Matthew will be part of the crew on Adventure of Hornet, which is a joint services Challenge 72 yacht, during Exercise Transglobe’s leg number 12.
This leg starts in New York and ends in Halifax, Canada, where they will hand over to the next crew.
The expedition has already crossed the equator twice and rounded Cape Horn which is widely regarded as one of the major challenges in world yacht- ing and is sometimes called the Mount Everest of sailing.
Matthew said: “After trying sailing last year, I really wanted to try a more challenging voyage. It’s also my first opportunity to visit America.”
Matthew left Porthcawl Comprehensive School in 2015 and is now on a gap year. He joined the Air Training Corps in 2011, experiencing parachuting, paragliding and scuba diving whilst being a member.
Nick Trundle, who is in charge of the venture, said: “Exercise Transglobe will, in the true spirit of service adventure training, seriously challenge all who take part.
“It has been two years in the planning and we are all delighted that it is going well.
“The two yachts are in excellent shape and I believe all those who take part will have experiences and challenges that develop their ability to do their military jobs.”