ISLANDERS have shared their memories of a “beautiful” tall ship – that made regular visits to the Island – following the “incredibly sad” news that the company which operated it has closed.
Tenacious is currently the only sea-going tall ship in the world that can be sailed by a mixed-ability crew, including disabled people, those with mental-health conditions, long-term ill-health issues and the socially isolated.
Operated by the Jubilee Sailing Trust, the tall ship has been a regular visitor to the Island, enabling over 2,000 able-bodied and disabled crew from Jersey to work together onboard over the years.
Its connection with the Island is decades old as, in the late 1990s, the States of Jersey – prompted by former Senator Jean Le Maistre – helped to build Tenacious by donating £350,000 to pay for its masts and spars.
But in a statement earlier this week, the company said it had continued to struggle to meet operating costs despite numerous fundraising appeals – including a “Covid-recovery campaign” that raised hundreds of thousands of pounds.
Speaking to the JEP, JST chair Charles Humpleby called it “a sad day”, but stressed that all of the money raised over the years “had been used to continue the JST’s mission”.
“Jersey has been an important part of that,” he continued. “The ship still exists and if someone does buy her, then there is a future [for Tenacious]. There isn’t anything like her.”
Reacting to the news on social media, some Islanders shared memories of the tall ship – including time spent onboard – with one describing the news as “a sad day for so many”.
Another commented: “Very sorry to hear this. My dad was fortunate to enjoy a wonderful trip on this beautiful ship.”
One Islander added: “Very sad news, they did a fantastic job.”
Assistant Chief Minister Lucy Stephenson also described the news as “incredibly sad” in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding: “Only a couple of months ago I was lucky enough to step aboard Tenacious when she visited Jersey to learn about the fantastic opportunities it has given so many over the years.”
In its statement, the JST explained that: “Unfortunately, as we are now without identified income to meet our imminent expenditure in December (including the wages of our crew and shore-based team) we no longer have the time to pursue other financing options, nor a public fundraising appeal, and our legal advisers view closure as the only option available.”
