Matching the waves break across the vast, roaring ocean in front of him, Dave Phillips felt out of options standing on the cliff’s edge in Cornwall several years ago. The former British army corporal had lost a number of loved ones in quick succession, and the compounding effects of untreated post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his military tours had become all-consuming.
“I’m from a generation where we didn’t talk,” says Phillips, 67. “I tried dealing with it myself and ended up standing on a cliff edge thinking, ‘Yeah, this is the way.’”
Only his late partner’s voice in his mind, saying “don’t be a twat”, stopped him from taking that step, but in that moment, he knew he needed help. Little could Phillips imagine how profound a role the ocean would play in his healing.
He walked away that day and sought professional help for PTSD, anxiety and depression. He was introduced to Turn to Starboard, a British charity helping veterans cope with trauma through sailing. Attending its sessions changed everything for him, he says. “It [the sea] takes me away from all the stresses and strains of life. It’s got the power of calmness.”
