Two charities based in the South of England are embarking on a unique partnership to make marine wildlife watching and conservation a fully accessible activity open to all abilities.

The Jubilee Sailing Trust and ORCA have combined their respective expertise to design a voyage that will allow a mixed ability crew to observe and study whales and dolphins in their habitats and to understand the threats they face . What makes this partnership truly special is that sensory aids and modern technologies will be used so that everyone, including visually impaired voyagers, can experience the joy of listening to and studying the animals.

The mixed ability crew will be accompanied by wildlife experts from ORCA, who will help the crew observe and learn about the wildlife and capture data to feed into global efforts to help protect these amazing creatures and their habitats. The voyage will be on board the STS Lord Nelson, sailing amongst the diverse marine wildlife of the Azores in March 2018. ‘Nellie’, as the ship is affectionately known, is one of only two tall ships in the world that is custom built to allow people of all physical and sensory abilities to sail side by side with able-bodied people.

Sally Hamilton, ORCA Director, said: “ORCA have a commitment to make whales and dolphins accessible to all, no matter their background. We are so excited to be starting this new chapter in our partnership with the JST, and can’t wait to open the door for the voyage crew to connect with the beautiful marine life in the Azores.”

Paul Fairhurst, Operations Director of the JST, commented:
“We’re delighted to be teaming up with ORCA. With their experts aboard our ships, we can bring wildlife watching and conservation to a mixed ability crew and so break down more of society’s barriers, whilst also supporting ORCA and the excellent work they do. ”

Voyage Details
Location: Ponta Delgada, Azores (round trip)
Date: 8th March 2018
Duration: 11 days
Cost: £1,070

The Azores makes for an ideal location for sailing, not just because of the wildlife spotting opportunities. The spectacular scenery of these tropical, mid-Atlantic islands will offer an escape to sunnier weather this winter.

To find out more, visit call us on 023 8044 9138.