ISLE OF WIGHT: LOOKING BACK ON AN UNFORGETTABLE ADVENTURE
- Admin
- 17 hours ago
- 6 min read
This summer we embarked on a truly remarkable adventure in the United Kingdom. We joined an extraordinary challenge: supporting blind sailor Daniel Anglada Pich, in his mission to prove that disability doesn’t mean limitation, only a different way of navigating the world.
To many, his goal sounded almost unthinkable: sailing all the way around the Isle of Wight on a Catalan patín sailboat.
Yes, you read that correctly. A blind sailor, out on the Atlantic, circumnavigating an island roughly the size of Menorca on a boat with no rudder and no boom. For those unfamiliar with the Catalan patín, it’s a sailboat steered entirely by sensitivity and balance, felt through the sea and the wind, guided only by shifting body weight. Pure intuition. Pure technique.
When Dani first shared his project with us and asked us to join the team, very few truly believed it could happen. No one told him “no,” but no one opened the door either. That’s where Carla, Georgina and I stepped in, determined to support him and turn that dream into something real.
How We Worked as a Team to Make the Isle of Wight Challenge Possible
• Training: Thanks to Port de Masnou and Club Nàutic El Masnou, who supported the project from day one. You made everything easier and backed a truly inclusive vision of sailing. Huge thanks to Jorge, Fernando, Farah, Mercè, Mónica and the entire team.
• Boat preparation & maintenance: Handled by the Abordo Sailingteam, true specialists in the patín catalán. You made us sweat with the last technical adjustments, but the final result was flawless. Jordi, Marc and the whole crew - you’re real masters of your craft.
• Visual identity, equipment & merchandising: We designed the full branding for the challenge (new logo, event identity, logo placement) and coordinated production of all promotional material. The challenge was evolving the project’s look without altering the essence of the original brand, and giving it a fresh new feel.
• Funding & Sponsors: Although the project already had several sponsors, we expanded the search for new partners (thank you Sergi and Top Sailing Charter!), launched the fundraising effort, coordinated public exposure for all sponsors and kept them closely updated throughout the project.
• Content Creation & Social Media: Hours of filming, thousands of photos (mostly Carla’s, plus those from Michael and myself), omplemented by an incredible audiovisual team in the UK: Nick, Tora, Lucía and Tim. Working with such talent was a privilege.
• Transporting the Boat: Outbound trip by ferry from Santander to the Isle of Wight (30 hours) with Carla, Dani and me —followed by the return drive from Cherbourg back home, Thelma & Louise-style, just Carla and me. Twenty intense hours crossing France in one go, bringing the patín back home.
• Coordination with the Tech Team: What a team. White Jacket was a true revelation, Albert and Aitor, you were fantastic!!! Working with you was effortless, and the work you delivered developing and refining the entire tech setup was outstanding. Your system enabled Dani to receive real-time heading, wind direction and other key navigation data. That technology evolves directly from your core business: improving mobility for people with visual impairments. What you designed, built and kept adapting through every unforeseen challenge was genuinely remarkable. You’re brilliant.
• Logistics in the United Kingdom: As with any challenge, there was a daily operational side, to managing supplies, transfers, and coordinating day-to-day needs with local partners. Special thanks to Pete and everyone at East Cowes Sailing Club who became our hosts—and almost family—during our time in Cowes. Thanks mates! You’re incredible!
• Support During Training and the Challenge Itself: We handled everything from food and hydration to guidance and on-water support—both during the training sessions and throughout the 13-hour crossing on the day of the challenge. The Solent was mind-blowing, with those currents… truly spectacular. And we couldn’t have asked for a better mentor than Magnus: an exceptional sailor and an even better person. It was a privilege to spend all those days with him on his small RIB, learning from him and from the rest of the support team led by Simon.
• Communications & Press Relations: This challenge deserved to be told—not only because of the sporting achievement, but also because of its social impact. We did exactly that, and the media responded. A huge thank you to everyone who listened… and to those who didn’t (their turn will come). The result: coverage on BBC, TV3, La Sexta, Cuatro, La Vanguardia (including La Contra), Diari Ara, RNE and many more—representing an estimated advertising value of over €400,000.
Photography by: Carla Ribas, Michael Silverwood and Christian Palau
And yes—the challenge was achieved. After 13 hours and 8 minutes of sailing, Dani completed the full circumnavigation of the Isle of Wight, proving that there are no disabilities—only different abilities. A remarkable achievement—and a privilege to have been part of it.
Of course, the challenge wouldn’t have made any sense without Dani himself. Aboard Lady, his Catalan patín, he showed us all his skill as a sailor—and reminded us that, in our daily lives, we should approach things from a far more inclusive perspective.
But none of this would have been possible without a great team behind it. As the saying goes: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” This challenge is the perfect example of the latter.
Starting with Carla—so many days side by side: takeaway dinners in a tiny room, long hours at sea, endless drives, photo edits and videos. Georgina coordinating all operations from the office, The White Jacket team, the minds behind the tech magic (Albert and Aitor), who became brothers throughout the adventure—and friends always, The film crew led by Nick, Tora and Lucía—what an incredible documentary you've created. I’m thrilled to see it already starting to make its way into festivals.
The teams at Port Masnou and Club Náutico El Masnou (Jorge, Fernando, Mónica y and especially Farah, Gracias!). The aBordo team (Jordi y Marc). Magnus our mentor at sea, Pete our ally in the UK, now a friend—and the entire ECSC community. Michael, our photographer on land. Tim, our cameraman in the UK And the whole on-water support team led by Simon.
And of course, every sponsor who believed in the project and made it possible.
This entire team has been shortlisted as a finalist for Best Sailing Team at the annual World Sailing Association Awards. The nomination alone is already a major recognition for a group that worked quietly behind the scenes to support Dani’s challenge.
A truly remarkable adventure—one filled with unforgettable moments, extraordinary ones, and inevitably some difficult ones too. Not everything was perfect, nor should it be. That’s where the real learning happens.
• Challenges are never individual they’re built by teams. Creating, nurturing and motivating those teams is essential.
• If you believe in your dream, and those around you do too, anything is possible.
• People see the challenge itself, but what truly stays with you are the moments shared with the team. Make the most of them.
• Team cohesion takes constant effort. People are the ones who make things happen—take care of them.
• Trust is essential—trust the people who work with you and their skills. That’s why they’re part of the team in the first place.
• Stay true to your path, when success arrives, the noise around you increases and can distort your focus.
• Behind every great adventure lies a lot of unseen hard work, It may not always be enjoyable, but it’s essential if you want to keep growing and taking on new projects.
• Be mindful of those who weren’t there when it mattered, but show up only once things go well. Are they really part of the journey?
Ultimately, this was a project that leaves a mark—one where you meet incredible people and build real friendships, forged through intense moments, laughter, tears and raw emotion. A project where the entire team gave absolutely everything.
Would we do it again? Anyone who knows me already knows the answer. I thrive on projects like this—solving problems, spending long days with the team, and meeting extraordinary people. And I’m taking plenty of lessons with me for future adventures.
A project lived intensely—full of effort, joy, emotion and lasting bonds. And that, in the end, is what truly matters.
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