Holly has always harboured an intense fascination and love of the ocean and it proved to be the catalyst for a very important and life changing experience when she stepped aboard STV John Laing as crew, for two incredible weeks crossing the Bay of Biscay in 2012.
The magic of the blue cast its spell on Holly, like so many of us, and one year ago she took the incredibly brave decision to leave University and pursue her love of sailing.
As with most pursuits of HAPPINESS, Holly has never looked back and spent the last year doing what she loves most.
Holly flew out to Senegal to meet up with Sea Dragon a few weeks ago and has been taking part in tagging oceanic white tips, silkier sharks and tuna with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation.
In-between prepp’in Sea Dragon, exploring Dakar’s rich culture and bustling streets for fresh produce for the crew and tagging sharks we asked Holly our eXXpeditiongirls ‘hot seat’ questions…. here’s what she had to say
Q: What colour is your toothbrush?
A: Green and blue
Q: If you could teleport where would you go and why?
A: I’d go to the places normally out of human reach – like the depths of the Mariana Trench to see what really lurks there, or back billions of years ago to find out how the universe actually began
Q: Who do you admire the most (dead or alive)?
A: The extraordinary people who I get to meet day to day through my job
Q: What’s your top tip for reducing plastic use – what works for you?
A: I take my rucksack to shops to use instead of plastic bags – but I’m definitely hoping to pick up lots more ways during eXXpedition!
Q: If you could put just one thing at the top of your bucket list, what would it be?
A: To see the earth from space
Q: What’s the most delightful word you can think of?
A: “Wine?”
Q: What’s your biggest fear?
A: Dropping expensive or heavy things from the top of the mast!
Tagging oceanic white tips, silkier sharks and tuna with the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation in Senegal
Q: Favourite flavour ice-cream?
A: Cornish clotted cream… with a flake
Q: Who would be your 4 ultimate dinner party guests (dead or alive)?
A: Tom Hanks, Sam Davies, Sarah Outen and Chris Hadfield, for a good mix of adventurous stories and laughter
Q: Where would you go if you were invisible?
A: I’d set up the best ghost train ride business in town!
Q: What have you done that you are most proud of?
A: Getting to where I am now, happy and challenged, with the help of a lot of brilliant people
Q: What would your Superhero power be?
A: This is a question we ask the young people at work as an ice breaker every week. My answer has always been: to have superhuman strength – and I’m working on it!
Q: What piece of advice have you been given that was most rewarding?
A: I’ve been lucky to have received lots of brilliant advice – but the catchiest one might be “fake it ’til you make it”
Q: What’s the most important thing you want to take away from your eXXpedition voyage?
A: Mostly I hope to have met, shared stories with, and learnt from some incredible, inspirational women. But I also wish to have an eye-opening trip across the Atlantic, sailing to places I’ve never been to before, and learning things about our human effects on the environment that I was previously blindly oblivious to
Q: What’s your favourite marine animal and why?
A: Orcas. I love the clever ways they hunt in teams for food
Q: What’s the one thing that drives you crazy?
A: Getting silly things wrong!
Holly just loves her life… it’s that simple 🙂
Thanks so much Holly!
