Waveney Crookes
Round Britain Challenge - Toe in the water
Fundraising for Help for Heroes
Story
Wave Crookes and I (Dave Flett) are competing in the Two-Handed Round Britain and Ireland Race (RB&I) in June 2010 in aid of the RNLI and Toe in the Water. The RB&I is one of the most challenging two-handed yacht races in the world, negotiating busy shipping lanes, open ocean legs, and dealing with the intricacies of the tidal ranges around our shores. Add to that mix the lack of sleep and no doubt some heavy weather along the way, it is sure to be an exciting event. The Race starts from Plymouth at 12.00 on the 6 June 2010 taking in 4 mandatory stops along the way at Kinsale in Ireland, Barra in the Hebrides, Lerwick in Shetland and Lowestoft in East Anglia before finishing back in Plymouth.
The Skipper and boat owner Wave Crookes has a strong maritime background initially fishing and sailing out of Scarborough before spending 11 years in the Royal Navy. He is now the Divisional Inspector for Scotland for the RNLI. I also have a military background, and served over 30 years with the Royal Air Force, many of those years indulging my passion for sailing at home and abroad. Wave and I met through sailing on the yacht racing circuit at our home port of Scarborough and although we have only known each other for a relatively short time, we share the same sense of humour and both relish a challenge.
The boat, “Resolute” is a Contessa 32 one of the smallest boats in the race at 32 ft. Although relatively small compared to our competitors she is a sound sea-worthy yacht capable of handling the severest of weather. She was originally built in 1978 but received an extensive refit in 1993 and is now in a boatyard in Whitby having a new engine, electronic equipment, safety equipment and rigging fitted ready for the race.
Wave and I decided on two worthy charities to support during our venture. As Divisional Inspector for Scotland for the RNLI, Wave quite naturally chose the RNLI. You can visit his 'RNLI' page at http://www.justgiving.com/Waveney-Crookes
For my part I chose the Toe in the Water charity which is co-funded with Help for Heroes. I served for many years in the Royal Air Force and consider myself very lucky to have left military service relatively unscathed. I also have a son serving with the Royal Marines; he has already done two operational tours of Afghanistan with a real possibility of more. Some of his colleagues have sustained terrible injuries and we should not forget their sacrifice and commitment, in some cases their battle is just beginning. We hear on the news about the tragic loss of life as a result of operational conditions in Afghanistan, especially the improvised explosive devices (IED). For every service person fatally injured by IEDs there are many more with life changing injuries. Toe in the Water is a tri-service initiative with aims to inspire the men and women who have sustained often traumatic injuries, including the loss of limbs, to move beyond their disability and to become re-inspired by life. Competitive sailing is a physically and mentally challenging adventurous sport and provides a unique opportunity for injured men and women to sail and race on equal terms with their able-bodied contemporaries. www.toeinthewater.org
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they never sell them on, or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, the money is sent directly to the charity and they will make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. Your donations are most gratefully received - Thank You.
Dave Flett