ANYONE who has travelled across the Torridge Bridge will have glanced at the water below.

Looking down from Atlantic Highway, it is quite a view.

The thought of a relaxing sail across the Taw and Torridge Estuary on a pleasant summer day has always appealed to me.

So when Keith Heason from North Devon Yacht Club offered the chance to try sailing for the first time, I was happy to don a wetsuit and give it a go.

However, it soon became apparent, that this would not be the leisurely paddle I had in mind.

As I met Keith at the clubhouse in Instow he explained that "most people think of sailing as just being sat on a boat sipping a gin and tonic.

"This is more like the Formula One of sailing.

"I do it for the adrenalin. I can't just drift around in the estuary, I love to go fast."

Keith was taking me out for a lesson on the Club Cat, an 18ft catamaran.

"Don't worry, we'll just be going out for a jolly today. We won't be racing," he said, as several other sailors prepared for a club competition.

Just finding a path through the countless moored boats seemed an impossible task as we set off from shore.

But within seconds Keith was happily weaving Club Cat through the traffic.

We set out from Instow, quickly reaching the Appledore shore where the village casts a wind shadow, making the waters relatively calm.

Then it was out towards the sea and the large expanse of open water off Crow Point.

My job was to help with some of the technical stuff. By pulling on ropes attached to the sails, the boat changes direction with manoeuvres known as 'tacking' or 'gybing'.

And as I found out with one poorly-timed move, you can stall a Cat just like you can stall a car. This was Formula One sailing though and as the breeze picked up, Keith was eager to satisfy his need for speed.

"Right, let's make this girl sing," he said as we made an exhilarating dash across the water.

With me 'hiking out' (leaning out over the side to counterbalance the boat) and Keith 'out on the wire' (leaning out the same side while attached to a harness), the Club Cat was purring.

But sailors must beware. The choppy waves coming in off the Atlantic can be as brutal as a Dutch footballer. One particularly harsh billow had me hanging on for dear life.

"That was a bit of a brute," said Keith. "If we'd been out on a Sprint 15 we might have gone over there."

Being slightly longer and heavier, the 18ft Cats are more stable. But capsizing is just an occupational hazard for all sailors, particularly when they are in race mode.

Just ask Dave Warren, who hit the water more than once on his way to third place in the race.

Geoff Mitchell negotiated the waves to win Saturday's event ahead of runners-up Rob Way and Penny Slee.

Back in the clubhouse afterwards, we reflected on a great afternoon on the water.

Out on the estuary looking in, you get to appreciate a beautiful part of the North Devon coastline from a different perspective.

"I don't understand how anyone can live so close to this water and not make the most of it," said Keith.

Originally from the Midlands, he was a keen rugby player and only took up sailing five years ago after moving to the area.

"Anyone from any background can get into sailing as long as they want to get wet — and scared. It's for thrill seekers," he said.

The following day's Sunday Series race was not too thrilling for Keith though. He returned to shore early, fed up with the light winds.

For those who stayed, Barry Vincent triumphed in the tranquil conditions, while Alyzon Mayho was second and Richard Hentell third.

It took the competitors two hours just to sail to Fremington and back. That is the beauty of sailing it seems. Constant changes mean no two excursions are the same.

Whether taking part in a high-pressure race or a relaxing cruise, the tide, the wind and the proximity of other boats always vary.

North Devon Yacht Club are keen to attract new members and often run sailing courses.

Anyone who would like to know more can call Thom Flaxman on 01271 860367 or see the website www.ndyc.org.