or Ocean Youth Trust North East?  Because Ocean Youth Club is approaching its 50th birthday and we want anyone who has sailed with us over the years to get in touch, share their experiences (we’ll publish them here if you like), but especially fill in a questionnaire (it won’t take long) about your time afloat with Ocean Youth Club and Ocean Youth Trust North East.  If you’re in touch with any old crewmates, badger them to participate, too.

James Cook has sailed right round the world, don’t forget: she and her crews have a lot to be proud of and as we all know, sea stories are the best stories.

office manager Cat Lax is just back from Holland, she’s been sailing on James Cook with a crew of blind teenagers.  She reports that despite not being able to see, they were all terrific helmsmen and women – they could feel the wind on their faces and had a very gentle touch on the boat’s wheel.  She also said that one morning it snowed so hard they had to sweep seveal inches of snow off the deck before going sailing.  Pics and a voyage report soon.

Welcome to the 2008 sailing season – James Cook is currently sailing in the waterways of Holland – a new crew has just joined then she’ll be sailed back to Newcastle to arrive on April 5th.  Keep up to date with the buzz aboard here – we’ll have regular blogging from the boat, voyage reports, you tube clips, podcasts and links to blogs posted by anyone who’s sailed with us and blogged about it.