Loch-seeking Miss Isle
by Tracey Clarke-Sullivan 13 Jul 2016 16:03 BST
Natasha Lambert © Miss Isle
Well known young sailor Natasha Lambert BEM, is off on a new challenge. This time it's north of the border. Natasha has athetoid cerebral palsy and uses only her breath to control her specially-designed 21ft yacht called Miss Isle Too.
Her latest challenge is to sail from Inverness to Glasgow. The sail will take her through the Caledonian and Crinan canals and some of the most spectacular waters in the UK.
Not content with pushing herself to her limits on the water she and her team will also be scaling Cairn Gorm Mountain, the sixth highest peak in Britain. For this part of the challenge Natasha will swap her wheelchair for her "Hart Walker" a stable device which she can propel forward despite having limited control over her movements.
Natasha, and her team, are undertaking Sea and Summit Scotland to raise funds and the profile of her charity, the Miss Isle School of Sip Puff Sailing. Natasha is keen to ensure that others with similar physical conditions are inspired to face new challenges and, if they would like to, get on the water and start sailing. Using sailing by breath the School provides affordable, professional sailing tuition to those who are physically unable to sail a conventional boat.
Just before Natasha starts the challenge she has been meeting crews at the Charles Stanley Cowes Classic Week (11-15 July). The Miss Isle School is the official charity for the event.
www.missisle.org.uk