Sea and Summit - Rest day ahead as Tash prepares for toughest leg yet

by RYA on 8 Aug 2014 ‘Sip and puff’ sailing teen Natasha ‘Miss Isle’ Lambert is preparing to face the longest and most challenging leg of her Sea and Summit expedition.

As she continues round the coast of Cornwall, her next sail will be the gruelling 60 miles taking her from Newlyn, around Lands End and ending up in Padstow.

On 4th August the 17-year-old, who has cerebral palsy and controls her boat by breathing through a straw in a specially-engineered bicycle helmet, completed the memorable 32 mile voyage to Newlyn rounding Lizards Point with sunny skies, flat seas and a gentle breeze.

Natasha said: 'Today was very cool and awesome; my favourite part was going through the overfalls at Lizard Point'.

Once again the Natasha and support team including mum Amanda, dad Gary and little sister Rachel, were welcomed into port by the local RNLI and when ashore they were treated to a special tour of the Newlyn Lifeboat station.

Phil Devereux Natasha’s coach said: 'Today’s been great and tomorrow Tash and the team will enjoy a well earned rest day in preparation for the 10th leg which is the big one. We’ve had a good sail today so everyone is in great spirits and we’re just hoping that the weather will be looking good so we can keep going!

'The end is well in sight now and although Tash is a little apprehensive about the challenge ahead she remains determined and can’t wait to get to Swansea'

Sea and Summit is Natasha’s biggest challenge yet - a month-long project sailing her specially-designed 21ft yacht, Miss Isle Too, single-handed around the South West coast of England to Wales. She will then swap her boat for her special Hart Walker to climb Pen y Fan, the highest peak in Southern Britain.

Through the Sea and Summit challenge Natasha will sail 430 miles and climb 2,907ft to raise money for the RNLI, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and the RYA Foundation, as well as the profile of sailing for people with disabilities.
Sailing has been Natasha’s big love since she first went on holiday with the Calvert Trust aged nine. She then started sailing at home and spent two years sailing with the Even Keel Project and her local RYA Sailability.

Last year she sailed across the English Channel, and in 2012, the 50-miles around the Isle of Wight. To support Natasha's challenge visit Miss Isle.

For more information on getting involved in disability sailing, click here.