She’s seen the stars and sailed past dolphins
Chloe Tumilty saw some of the most amazing sights she will ever see on a very special tall ship adventure.
The 17-year-old, from the Ford Estate in Sunderland, told the Echo of her two incredible voyages on the seas.
The first took her to Spain and Portugal on the Lord Nelson and she got to:
watch dolphins speed by the ship;
spend time at the helm steering the class A vessel; learn how to tie the ropes; help less able-bodied crewmates with their own tall ships experience;
visit amazing destinations such as Cadiz and La Coruna;
take part in spectacular festivals.
That was the first time. She got to enjoy a completely different experience on her second ship.
Just last year, she sailed on the Polish class A ship Kapitan Borchardt in the regatta from Blyth to Gothenburg in Sweden.
This time, she spent most of her time on the midnight to 4am watch and learned all about the stars and the different constellations – all from the deck of a magnificent class A ship.
She met people from all over the world, from countries such as Spain and Hungary.
And now, she’s a tall ships ambassador sponsored by award-winning company Calsonic Kansei – last year’s winners of the Sunderland Echo Portfolio business awards.
Chloe, who studies at the
Sunderland City Campus, will be back on a tall ship for next year’s spectacle when it comes to her home city – and she can not wait.
“I am excited and no matter which ship it is, it is going to be amazing.
“I do know that I am going to be on a voyage to Denmark and I will be a bit upset when it is all over next year.
“But hopefully I can keep up sailing because I do love it and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone, no matter what your ability or disability is.”
Her proud parents, Darren and Louise, could not be happier for her. Louise said: “She is a very independent lady. She is doing really well at college.
“From the age of 14 she has worked at a charity shop and she has done work experience at a place in Sunderland.
“She has won a young carer award because she goes to Guides and Brownies and helps a disabled child.”
She is studying electrical engineering at college and hopes one day to have a career in repairing robots.
And all that’s on top of her remarkable adventures on a tall ship.
Chloe has crewed a ship alongside people in wheelchairs, an 80-year-old with arthritis, a blind man – all proof that the tall ships experience is for all.
She spent around 13 days on board Lord Nelson and said: “We learned about the sails and how to change direction. We learned about wind speed, we went on different shifts.
“The food and the watches are different on every ship.
“I watched dolphins and all sorts of things go past. I watched the most amazing sunrises and sunsets.
“I have been on a tall ship when people on their boats were watching us and it was amazing to see all of these things.”
And now, it could be your turn to find out what a tall ship adventure is like.
For further information about The Tall Ships Races 2018, go to www.tallshipssunderland.com.