Natasha sails east to raise funds for her new charity

by Tracey Clarke 22 May 2015 10:53 BST 22 May 2015

Miss Isle's Capital Venture is launched © Rick Tomlinson

Disabled teenage sailor, Natasha Lambert, is to take to the water again on 23 May for another daring challenge – Miss Isle's Capital Venture

This follows Natasha's "Sea and Summit" challenge of 2014 when the incredible 17-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, uses a wheel chair and has little control over her movements, sailed over 500 miles around the South West coast of England to Wales before swapping her boat for her special walking aid to climb Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in Southern Britain.

Natasha is once again setting sail from her home town of Cowes, Isle of Wight but this time she will sail east to the mouth of the River Thames. She'll then sail up the River until she reaches St Katherine's Docks. Once there she will again swap her boat for her Hart Walker.

This time Natasha will be climbing a financial mountain! Natasha is starting her own charity to give others with a similar disability the chance to enjoy sailing by "sip and puff", using only their breath to control a sailing boat. To kick start the funding for the charity, to be known as "missisle's school of sip and puff sailing", Natasha has come up with a plan to walk the square mile of the City of London, fund raising as she walks. Although the terrain is less challenging than a Welsh mountain the walk will nevertheless be daunting with the traffic and hubbub of the Capital to negotiate.

For the start of her challenge Natasha will have a very special coach on board. Offshore solo sailor Nikki Curwen will join Natasha as she attempts the first part of the sail, some 46 miles east to Brighton.

Nikki is due to sail solo across the Atlantic this September in the Mini Transat race, competing in a sailing boat very similar to Natasha's "Miss Isle Too". For Nikki and Natasha it will be a fascinating experience and one Nikki is looking forward to "I have known Natasha for a while and have always talked about sailing with her. I am now making my preparations to sail solo for four thousand miles with no communication allowed and only a basic GPS and paper charts for navigation so this trip will be very different but great experience and I hope good fun too".

Natasha's cerebral palsy means she Natasha sails her specially-designed 21ft yacht, Miss Isle Too only by breathing through a straw which controls an electronic system designed by her dad, Gary. On board the yacht a qualified coach assists Natasha with the raising and lowering the sails, and with hydration and nutrition underway For the sea and river part of the challenge Natasha will be supported by a Honda RIB and crew, including her Mum, Amanda. Once in the Capital Natasha will propel herself in the Hart Walker and will be supported by her Dad, Mum and little sister Rachel (8).

Natasha hopes to reach the Square Mile by 2 June.

Natasha's Capital Venture is supported by Honda Power Products; SeaSafe; PSP Logistics; Cowes Yacht Haven; British Marine Federation and Event Broadcast.

Natasha's 231 nautical mile journey from Cowes to London: