Former University Centre South Devon student sets sail on adventures

Sailing is a challenging environment but for a former University Centre South Devon (UCSD) student it’s even more demanding.

41 year old Steve Palmer is a double amputee. A lance corporal of the 28 Royal Engineers Steve lost both legs as a result of stepping on an improvised explosive device in Helman, Afghanistan in 2010.

During his rehab Steve tried lots of different sports including sailing with charity Toe in the Water. They use sail racing to get injured service persons into sport and learning how to adapt to life after life changing injuries.

“Sailing offers a unique way of doing physical and mental care, it could be called sneaky physiotherapy,” said Steve. “I still use it in this way, but in a different focus. I certainly find sailing very freeing, while having to adapt to different situations on the water, I don’t feel I do anything overly different to a person with legs. As my boat is not adapted in any way, and this has its own challenges.”

Up until 2016 Steve was campaigning for the Paralympics in 3 person sailing and then coaching sailing on the Isle of Wight.  He decided to return to education studying a foundation degree in Yacht Operations at UCSD.

“I took lots away from the degree certainly learning new skills academically and having the opportunity to engage with the wider maritime community.

“All the tutors I had the privilege of working with were great and gave me the opportunity to explore different angles to the subject matter. Also, the support hub team were fantastic in aiding my development and my writing.”

Steve’s lecturer, Dr Roger Hopper said,” Teaching Steve on the Yacht Operations degree and seeing how he developed his academic thinking and writing knowledge and skills and overcame the physical challenges of sailing was a privilege. To now see how he has gone onto apply these on his solo sailing adventures is truly inspiring.”

Steve, who learnt to sail as a child but only started sailing full time after losing his legs, has sailed more than 10,000 nautical miles in the last year – solo – in his Moody 31 called Neruni.

He started by sailing around Britain, across to Iceland, then across the North Atlantic to Canada. Crossing the Atlantic took 17 days.

“Most people I have met say I came the wrong way across, ie into the prevailing winds and currents. I believe that was part of the adventure. While I did encounter some rough weather, Neruni is a solid boat and more than up for the task.

“Again going the ‘wrong way’ around Newfoundland to run away from hurricanes, the east coast of the United States seem the practical solution to get away from the Canadian winter.”

Steve admits that sailing solo has its own challenges, with the added dimension of having no legs, but it hasn’t held him back.

“I have visited and seen some fantastic places and sights, 24hr day light, being in the Arctic Circle (briefly), Orcas swimming behind the boat and hearing them talk, witnessing the pure power of the wind while hurricanes and force 12 storms passed overhead. Getting nearly rolled in the St. Lawrence River, sailing out of New City at night.

“It can be lonely at times, I catch myself talking to nobody or a pod of dolphins, which isn’t crazy at all. I plan to keep going and enjoying the experience and adventure.”

Photo caption: Former University Centre South Devon student, Steve Palmer, on board his boat Neruni.