Ten sea cadets of the Training Ship (TS) Saldanha have set aside a week of their school holidays to do a skipper’s course and obtain their skipper’s licence.
The course started on Monday 11 July and ended on Sunday 17 July.
These sea cadets, between the ages of 15 and 19, are from Saldanha and Vredenburg.
Personal Officer Midshipman Samantha Huysamen from TS Saldanha says the sea cadets spent many hours at sea and received loads of experience, acquiring a good amount of sailing knowledge. “They have had long days, cold and rainy weather, but their spirits are still high,” she said. “This skipper’s course is the first of its kind in the history of the sea cadets.”
These cadets work with a dynamic team of vastly experienced naval officers, cadet officers and naval instructors who volunteer their time facilitating, educating and imparting knowledge by instilling respectable values and morals using military discipline as the foundation and core emphasis of the training.
As a non-profit organisation, TS Saldanha relies on fundraising and donations to aid in covering the day-to-day expenses of the programme.
It desperately needs any form of assistance that could assist in relieving the financial burden placed on the unit.
TS Saldanha wishes the sailing team fair winds and following seas in their practical exam, due to take place this coming weekend.
They would also like to convey a heartfelt thank you to the West Coast community for all their support and donations.
To make any donation contact Commanding Officer Luigi le Roux on 083 737 5279 or Huysamen on 074 402 0909.
