In November, Freya, Year 13, attended the East Anglian Maritime Awards following a nomination based on her proficiency afloat during her DofE Gold Sailing Expedition. Freya finished in 3rd place and was the top placed under 18.

Freya was on a nine-day sailing expedition in a 55-foot ocean going yacht, with a small, inexperienced crew. During the trip they sailed 280 nautical miles and encountered some very rough seas.

In the words of the expedition assessor: “They faced challenging conditions with strong winds of Force 6 and 7 and occasionally Force 8 from storm Lillian. Whilst they struggled with seasickness and fatigue, they still managed to keep feeding themselves even whilst heeled over with the gunwales submerged.”

Freya’s resilience shone brightest when she helmed the boat through the worst of it, often being the only crew member well enough to steer. On one leg of the trip, she endured 16+ continuous hours of sailing, braving spray, hailstones, and stormy weather after their planned anchorage proved unsafe!

Well done, Freya, a truly exceptional feat at such a young age and worthy of the recognition.