Volunteer Spotlight on Sam Steele

For CA member and volunteer Sam Steele, cruising began with a childhood spent racing a Mirror dinghy and devouring stories of great circumnavigators. That early passion soon carried her beyond home waters.

"I saved up and went on a two-week Ocean Youth Club (OYC) trip from Liverpool to Brightlingsea. Despite being seasick the first night, I loved it!"

The experience inspired Sam to head to night school to start her acquisition of more knowledge. She went on to spend summers working on OYC boats as bosun and mate to gain experience, which further cemented her love of life at sea and a lifetime of cruising. By 20, Sam had gained her RYA Yachtmaster and has now been cruising for over 40 years.

A defining trip: to the Azores and back

One of Sam’s most memorable experiences came in 1985, when she and her crew sailed a GK29 from Lymington to the Azores. It was long before modern GPS, so instead, they relied on sextant work and celestial navigation. Fresh from completing her RYA Ocean Theory at night school Sam admits she was slightly apprehensive about if they would even find the Azores, saying, "It is one thing learning the theory, but whether I could apply it correctly was a different matter! Setting off and sailing over 1600 miles to find the island of San Miguel that is 39 miles long seemed like a huge challenge. So, we had a plan that if we hadn’t found the Azores after 25 days we would turn round and head home!"

But on day 19, a strange cloud appeared on the horizon. "It was land and exactly where I expected it to be. It was an amazing sense of achievement (and relief!)."

That voyage was just one of many lessons learned over decades afloat. One particular lesson has stayed with Sam, "To always see the bigger picture, even when you have to focus on solving a problem."

Sam explains that as a newly qualified skipper, she once focused so closely on helping a novice crew reef that she lost track of her surroundings and ran aground. "I had lost sight of the bigger picture – a lesson I will never forget!"

Shaped by adventure

Throughout her sailing life, Sam has been inspired by trailblazers and one in particular stands out. Dame Naomi James was the first women to sail around the world single-handed. Sam was 14 when Naomi completed her voyage and the impact was profound, and she reminisced that, "Up until then it appeared that all the books I read about sailing adventures where about men, so it was hugely inspirational to read about a woman who achieved an incredible feat."

Sam completed a round-Britain cruise in 2006, which inspired her to write the UK and Ireland Circumnavigator’s Guide, a combined planning and destinations guide now in its 3rd edition.

Her professional career spans logistics and sourcing roles in several organisations. She served in the Army, where she had opportunities to sail, and was deployed during the first Gulf War. After leaving the Army, Sam worked for an oil company before spending 13 years with Nokia, including four years living in Finland, an experience that strengthened both her and her wife Mags’ love of the Baltic region. Sam later continued her career at Microsoft.

For the last 10 years, Sam and Mags have been cruising extensively in the Baltic aboard Carra, their Rustler 42

Away from navigation tables and passage planning, Sam has a creative outlet. "I love creating film, from serious films to short entertaining ones that help me tell the stories of our summer cruises," she shares. You can follow at @carrasailing.

Sam’s contributions also extend to the Baltic Section, where she and Mags help members make the most from exploring this remarkable region. Her motivation is simple and deeply aligned with the CA’s mission, as Sam reflects, "I love the fact that the work I am involved in, both in CIDG and with the Baltic Section, helps people explore new places and helps them get the best out of exploring new places."

Sam’s commitment to the CA is rooted in both her love of the sea and her belief in the power of community, as she explains, "The CA is a wonderful cruising community through which we have made good friends. It is the source of valuable information and through volunteering I am able to give back to the community and to sailing."

Among Sam’s proudest moment as a volunteer was her involvement in CAptain’s Mate, a cornerstone of the CA’s cruising resources. "After working on the team that created the new version of CAptain’s Mate in 2020, we won the British Yachting Award for Innovation of the Year in 2022. The fact the other finalists were all commercial ventures, but the CA with limited resources and the power of volunteers beat the industry giants felt amazing."

Carra

Sir Robin Knox-Johnston presents Sam Steele with the Knight Cup

Recognition and thanks

Sam’s story is one of skill, curiosity, camaraderie, and a deep commitment to helping others share in the cruising experience. Her contributions exemplify the power of volunteer-driven innovation and the generosity at the heart of the CA community.

In 2021 Sam was awarded the Knight Cup, which recognises the most outstanding contribution by a CA member in a given year. She received it for her leadership in project managing the migration and restructuring of the new CAptain’s Mate platform.

In 2024. Sam’s contributions to CAptain’s Mate were again recognised with the Brittain Cup, awarded for her work co-ordinating the editors of CAptain’s Mate and ensuring the successful delivery of high-quality content for the app.