Adventurer Natasha Lambert BEM has successfully become the youngest disabled woman to skipper a yacht from Scotland to Ireland
She’s done it! Natasha Lambert BEM has entered the history books by becoming the youngest disabled woman to skipper a yacht from Scotland to Ireland.
The 20-year-old started her voyage from south west Scotland on Monday (17 July) at 1030am, triumphantly sailing into Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland six hours later.
Natasha Lambert has artheroid cerebral palsy which affects all of her limbs and her speech, and is unable to use conventional controls.
Natasha Lambert. Credit: Miss Isle’s School of Sip and Puff Sailing
Instead, she steers and controls the sails of her 21-foot yacht Miss Isle Too by sipping and puffing into a single straw.
If that wasn’t challenging enough, Natasha had to deal with light winds and strong tides during the crossing.
“The North Channel certainly lived up to it’s challenging reputation. Natasha had to deal with very light fluctuating winds coupled with strong tides. But we made it and can’t wait to carry the expedition on South to Dublin,” commented Natasha’s mum and chief logistics officer, Mandy Lambert.
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Over the next week or so, Natasha will continue her Sea and Summit Ireland Challenge, and plans to climb the Wicklow Mountains in her Hart Walker.
This device allows her to stand upright which then means she can propel herself forward to make it up the inclines.
Last year, she used the same device to ascend and descend the Cairn Gorm mountain in Scotland – the sixth highest peak in Britain.
Throughout the Irish challenge Natasha will also be raising money for her charity, the Miss Isle School of Sip and Puff is based on the Isle of Wight, which teaches sip and puff sailing. She is also fundraising for the RNLI.
Previously, Natasha has sailed 262 miles from Cowes to London to raise awareness of disabled sailing.
She has also sailed around the Isle of Wight, crossed the Channel, sailed over five hundred miles to Wales and climbed the highest peak in Southern Britain, Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons.