Sally Kettle’s seafaring adventures
We speak to Sally Kettle – former Guide, current adventurer and record-breaking ocean rower – about her motivations and magical moments. Sally is one of the speakers for the Girlguiding Adventures at home festival taking place on Saturday 23 May
“I particularly missed curry, pineapple chunks and really fresh fruit. We talked about food a lot!”
When you were rowing across the Atlantic with your mum, what was the best moment?
It was when the pilot whales came up to our boat. We had five whales and a calf, and they were swimming under us, blowing out bubbles, trying to draw out little fish from beneath the boat. It was amazing seeing these huge beasts from under the sea.
What did you eat? And what did you miss the most?
I particularly missed curry, pineapple chunks and really fresh fruit. We talked about food a lot!
We ate a lot of dehydrated chili con carne – twice a day for about six weeks. Your taste buds change when you’re out at sea, which is annoying because the things you think you’re going to like, you’re no longer keen on, and you’ve only got one or two packets of the things you really want.
When you set off across the Atlantic, you had absolutely no experience of rowing. Why didn’t that stop you?
Because ignorance is bliss! When you’re born, you’re not born as a rower. You’re not born as anything. It’s a case of learning as you go. I think a lot of people stop themselves from achieving things because they don’t have the skills. But you can learn skills. And that’s exactly what we did. If you’re going to be an ocean rower, you’ve got to row an ocean – you can’t do it by standing on land.
Tell us about your role as an ambassador for the London and South East region of Girlguiding
About five years ago, with the help of some wonderful people at Girlguiding London and South East England (LaSER) HQ, I started running a programme to introduce girls and young women to amazing role models.
I ended up going to visit units all over the region – I think it’s about 200 now – and telling them all about adventure. Many women never get to meet their role models, so I wanted people to meet somebody and metaphorically touch them, to hear from them in real life. I now chair the programme and there are lots of great ambassadors on board.
Sally Kettle with her mum, Sarah
“At Girlguiding you meet a range of different people with different experiences”
What did you learn from your time in Girlguiding?
We did a lot of soap-carving and peppermint cream-making, but I also learned that it’s OK to spend time with other women, and with other girls, and just do stuff with them.
There’s a lot of talk about women, especially as you get older, and unfair accusations that we’re catty or can’t get along with each other. Girlguiding showed me that we do exciting things together – and we do them exceptionally well.
Has Girlguiding changed a lot since your day?
Oh yes, massively. When I was a Guide in the ’80s, we didn’t take on adventures in the same way that girls do now. It’s different but so exciting – I’d love to have been a Brownie or a Guide now.
Girlguiding gives girls a broader understanding of the world. When you go to school, you’re often with the same demographic of young women, but at Girlguiding you meet a range of different people with different experiences, and also you get to learn from incredible leaders – not as teachers, but as adult role models.
What will you be doing on the day of the festival?
I’m going to put some biodegradable glitter on, sit in my tent with my three-year-old daughter and see what’s going down.
I’m looking forward to seeing all the other people who will be on. When I started adventuring, hardly any women were doing it, and we didn’t have the same social media that we do now, so it’s really cool to see other women doing adventure. I wish I’d had that sort of support network when I was first out there. I’m so happy to support any women who are there to give their stories and their time to Girlguiding.
We’re all cooped up right now. If you could relive in your mind any single day from your adventures, what would it be?
It would be the day that my mum and I had a really good conversation, about seven weeks into our trip across the Atlantic, about setting our expectations. I used to whinge a lot on my boat and my mum said “We need to stop this. We need to stop setting ourselves huge goals that we can’t possibly achieve and just take every day as it comes.” It’s an important lesson.
Sally competed in The Ocean Rowing Society Atlantic Rowing Regatta with her mum, Sarah. They were the first mother and daughter team to row an ocean
Sally at sea in her cosy cabin
And as a person who is well used to spending a long time in a confined space with others… what tips do you have for those suffering ‘cabin fever’ right now?
Games – plenty of silly games. And kindness. One thing that my mum taught me was how to be kind, even if you’re not in a good mood. Because we’ve all got to look after each other, and you don’t want to be the person on the boat who is miserable and cantankerous all the time. When you get up in the morning, choose to be kind to yourself and to the rest of the people you live with.
When you’re allowed out, what’s the first thing you’re going to do?
There’s a restaurant on the river that my husband and I take our daughter to all the time. It’s nothing fancy, but we always go there when we need to have a chat and some family time. I think I’m going to go there.
“When you get up in the morning, choose to be kind to yourself and to the rest of the people you live with”
Sally also founded Rowgirls – an all-female rowing team – to try to break the record for the fastest Atlantic crossing. One of the crew had to withdraw, so they didn’t break the record. Instead they became the first three-handed boat ever to complete the trip
More about the festival
The lockdown has put a lot of life on hold – but with the Adventures from home virtual festival this Saturday 23 May, the adventure doesn’t need to stop. This inspiring festival is for leaders, girls of all ages and also people outside of Girlguiding. Let’s show the world how we’re keeping the spirit of guiding alive in lockdown! The live online programme of acts and events will be hosted on our Youtube channel and our website. Simply click to join, and share the link with your girls and friends. It starts at 10.30am and runs right up to 7.30pm, with a programme including family football challenges with England Lionesses star Jill Scott, and talks with great role models like Sally, adventurer Anna McNuff, and entrepreneur and ‘Guilty Mother’ blogger Jo Wimble-Groves. There will also be a range of ‘how-to’ videos to inspire young girls to achieve great things, even when they’re restricted to home, including Clever Chemicals videos from the Royal Society of Chemistry. See you by the virtual bonfire!
Find out more about our Adventures at home festival, or simply head to the Girlguiding YouTube channel on Saturday 23 May to see Sally, many other great role models and much more.
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