Sailing around Britain 2023

[GPS2]

Having just completed a 6 month 2 man circumnavigation in our Sadler 29 Waikare, anti-clockwise from Ipswich, I’d like to send a big thank you to all the brave and selfless RNLI station volunteers we met around the UK. We were welcomed and encouraged as we went. An East Coast example of this came at Burnham upon Crouch where local RNLI volunteers came down to the Burnham harbour station midweek at 8pm to spend a wonderful hour with us explaining some of the work they do and to hear of our circumnavigation and RNLI fundraising over a cup of tea. As we reached Harwich, the local RNLI crew stood on the station lookout balcony and waved us back onto the Orwell and near completion of our journey. A very special and humbling moment for us. Hero’s every one of them, thank you.

Sailing Waikare for RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution

 

[Daydream believer]

I know what you mean. In 2012 I was taken ill en route from Peterhead to Eyemouth. I did not call the RNLI myself - The coastguard decided that for me. In the end it involved no fewer than 20 people. On the night of their RNLI annual dinner. Fortunately it had just finished, but a shout following a p..s up is something they never expected. But they all turned out regardless. Arriving in Eyemouth I was looked after with the utmost care.,

 

[adamstjohn]

Having just completed a 6 month 2 man circumnavigation in our Sadler 29 Waikare, anti-clockwise from Ipswich, I’d like to send a big thank you to all the brave and selfless RNLI station volunteers we met around the UK. We were welcomed and encouraged as we went. An East Coast example of this came at Burnham upon Crouch where local RNLI volunteers came down to the Burnham harbour station midweek at 8pm to spend a wonderful hour with us explaining some of the work they do and to hear of our circumnavigation and RNLI fundraising over a cup of tea. As we reached Harwich, the local RNLI crew stood on the station lookout balcony and waved us back onto the Orwell and near completion of our journey. A very special and humbling moment for us. Hero’s every one of them, thank you.

Sailing Waikare for RNLI - Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Congratulations on your journey and fundraising efforts Neil. Great talking to you again on saturday, very inspiring. Take care Adam

 

[GPS2]

Congratulations on your journey and fundraising efforts Neil. Great talking to you again on saturday, very inspiring. Take care Adam

Thank you Adam, looking forward to catching up at the Orwell YC soon.

 

[jezjez]

Congratulations on your trip, I hope you missed these recent storms

 

[GPS2]

thank you Jezjez we were certainly lucky with the weather as we came to the end of the circumnavigation. We lost 24 days out of the 6 month circumnavigation of Britain due to storms, mainly when on the Welsh coast. September and early October were very kind to us.

the journey is now available on YouTube “sailing Waikare “

 

[jezjez]

I watched some but not all episodes yesterday.
I’m going to give you some advice - I hope that’s ok.
I’ll call it a turd sandwich. We’ve all had one of those before.
Your achievement is brilliant. Your cause was just. Your videos were often beautiful but…
The early ones do not sell the story or the make anyone want to watch more. May I suggest you find a teenager and get them to sit with you and condense the whole thing into 4-6 30 minute films with a proper voice over intro.
If nothing else, make an opening episode number one that really sells what you have achieved and your intentions re RNLI. This video account is too understated and therefore, sadly, no-one is going to watch it.
The later videos are much better.
I hope that isn’t too harsh, because you’ve done something really amazing and it deserves a really impressive edit and voice-over. It doesn’t have to be paid for, just enthusiastic and clear with shots of the best bits like Loch G and the Isle of Rum to get people curious about the rest.
Congratulations again. Cool idea, brilliantly executed. Get the video diaries sorted. And people can watch and donate to RNLI
All the best J

 

[GPS2]

Thank you for your positive feedback and I am glad you liked a lot of the episodes. I agree that the videos at the start of our circumnavigation of Britain are limited in content and appeal but I appreciate your suggestions to improve the delivery. It’s been a steep learning curve on so many fronts. I hope the latest episode posted on YouTube yesterday addresses some points you made.

 

[Suffolk_Newbie]

I watched some but not all episodes yesterday.
I’m going to give you some advice - I hope that’s ok.
I’ll call it a turd sandwich. We’ve all had one of those before.
Your achievement is brilliant. Your cause was just. Your videos were often beautiful but…
The early ones do not sell the story or the make anyone want to watch more. May I suggest you find a teenager and get them to sit with you and condense the whole thing into 4-6 30 minute films with a proper voice over intro.
If nothing else, make an opening episode number one that really sells what you have achieved and your intentions re RNLI. This video account is too understated and therefore, sadly, no-one is going to watch it.
The later videos are much better.
I hope that isn’t too harsh, because you’ve done something really amazing and it deserves a really impressive edit and voice-over. It doesn’t have to be paid for, just enthusiastic and clear with shots of the best bits like Loch G and the Isle of Rum to get people curious about the rest.
Congratulations again. Cool idea, brilliantly executed. Get the video diaries sorted. And people can watch and donate to RNLI
All the best J

I agree with your feedback @jezjez and it's always difficult to give this sort of feedback, especially when it's with the best of intentions.

As you said, they've done something remarkable, and for a great cause, and 'hooking' people with the first episode is critical to get them to watch the rest. It doesn't matter how good the later videos are, if they're not watched.

Congratulations @GPS2, it's something that I hope to do in the future (albeit with a motor) and am inspired by you.

 

[adamstjohn]

Thank you for your positive feedback and I am glad you liked a lot of the episodes. I agree that the videos at the start of our circumnavigation of Britain are limited in content and appeal but I appreciate your suggestions to improve the delivery. It’s been a steep learning curve on so many fronts. I hope the latest episode posted on YouTube yesterday addresses some points you made.

Loved that one Neil, bit more local to us. looking forward to seeing how you get through to the finish, coincidentally i was reading crossing the thames estuary by Roger Gasper of this parrish last night. very informative read that one.

 

[GPS2]

I agree with your feedback @jezjez and it's always difficult to give this sort of feedback, especially when it's with the best of intentions.

As you said, they've done something remarkable, and for a great cause, and 'hooking' people with the first episode is critical to get them to watch the rest. It doesn't matter how good the later videos are, if they're not watched.

Congratulations @GPS2, it's something that I hope to do in the future (albeit with a motor) and am inspired by you.

Thank you for your feedback Suffolk_Newbie. I am delighted that you are inspired to explore these Great British Isles. It was a wonderful 6 month experience and treated as a series of (mainly) day sails, it was very manageable. Meeting wonderfully friendly and generous people everywhere provided a huge reminder to the fact that there is so much good all around us. The British Heart Foundation and RNLI shop volunteers being fine examples.