Setting sail with Duchess Sophie

This week, on her return as the Duchess of Edinburgh, things were much lower key, with almost no crowd to see the Duchess virtually incognito in shorts, coastal jacket and baseball cap on her way out to the water.

The visit was supporting the Association of Sail Training Organisations, of which the Duchess is patron, which in turn was doing its bit to support the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution by launching a race of sail training vessels, all crewed by under-25s, drawn from across the UK.

These sailors had no previous sailing experience but came to the island to be trained, guided, and through the operation of the ships, pick up something about the qualities which can make a real difference to everyday life, including confidence, teamworking, communication, resilience, adaptability and responsibility.

The event supported volunteering opportunities for the RNLI and the need to bring younger people into its crews and support ranks, and has aimed to raise awareness of the impact on and value to young people of sail training and adventures afloat.

The island has obvious connections with the sea and water-borne opportunities, and the charities and volunteer groups dedicated to supporting that locally play an important role in teaching water and life skills.

For every young person who has ever had, or will have, their lives changed, even in some small way, through sail training, the visit of the Duchess was important and very worthwhile.