Meet Morgan McCarty, Further Education student at UKSA

My name is Morgan McCarty, I am 17 years old. Living on the Isle of Wight has always been a blessing in itself, although it was only when the pandemic struck that I began to truly appreciate the rolling fields around me. I live on the west side of the island, a pebble’s throw from the stunning Freshwater Bay.

For just a moment, let me describe the bay to you. An enclosed area of the most beautiful scenery anywhere on the island, rolling chalk cliffs, the most vibrant sunset I have ever seen, the colours bouncing off the still sea, each side of the beach covered in rocks sandwiching a stretch of sand in the middle, to allow non stone goers a place to relax, rock pools at low tide, beaming with life. A secret passage of caves for those who are feeling a little bit more adventurous, walls so that fisherman can have just as much fun as the swimmers. At Freshwater Bay there really is something for everyone, I suppose that’s what I love about it so much, whether you’re a paddleboarder or a sunbather, boredom is far from this paradise.

sunset over Freshwater Bay

Growing up this close to the beach has always been a pleasure, and because of this I have always been watersports orientated. I don’t actually remember much from when I started in the water, all I know is it came naturally to me, to be in the water, always doing something, spending every day of my summer holidays, jumping into the sea or exploring the caves in my kayak.

My family and friends have been a huge influence on me to learn and to use the sea and my surroundings to my advantage, my oldest brother was heavily into kayaking as I was growing up, and my next older brother was into surfing. Having all these sports around me really began to shape my life without even realising it, spending every second of my free time on the beach was a privilege I have only just started to appreciate.

spending every second of my free time on the beach was a privilege

At age 6 I joined the scouting community, my particular troop was sea scouts, and from aged 6 all the way up to now, the sea scouting community continues to encourage young people to get in the sea and to understand a whole new world of potential through sports, games and lessons.

the sea scouting community continues to encourage young people to get in the sea

Serenity never came easy to me, as a hyperactive child my brain was in constant need of stimulation and the water was one of the only things I could find peace in, the endless amounts of fun you can have splashing around in the waves becomes more and more apparent to me every single time I go for a swim.

As troubles of life have come and gone, peace was never far from the beach, listening to the waves rolling onto the shore is one of the most amazing sounds, I never realised I could have a career that was so sea based until the summer of 2021.

In the summer of 2021, after finishing high school, I knew I had to be out of the classroom and I had to dive into something new. I never realised how familiar this new was going to be though. I joined UKSA and knew straight away I was in the right place, a year later I have a range of qualifications, from first aid to dinghy instructor. I have had the best year of my life after jumping into a professional career in the sea, and this is just the beginning…

Follow my journey at UKSA through my monthly blogs here.

Morgan McCarty

More information on Further Education Courses at UKSA