Retired accountant Sylvia Bradley describes herself as “a fair-weather sailor who is scared of heights.” This description makes her voyage on a tall ship - where she will climb towering masts to handle sails - all the more remarkable.

Sylvia, from Margate, is a crew member on board the 170-tonne Astrid, a square rigged brigantine, and will take part in the second leg of the Tall Ships race from Ilhavo, Portugal to Funchal, Madeira, for the 713-mile voyage across the Bay of Biscay and into the Atlantic.

Her trip will take up to two weeks, although Sylvia has never spent more than a couple of days on a boat before, with her husband Chris.

She said: “I’ve sailed a bit with my husband, who’s a qualified Yachtmaster, on our little 8.5m sailing boat. The farthest I’ve been is across the Thames estuary, and I’m strictly a fair-weather sailor.”

She will join the boat on Monday, September 22, and will stay on until the end of the race at Funchal on October 4.

She will be raising money for two charities on her big adventure. So far, she has sponsorship to support the RNLI from fellow members of JJB Sports at Westwood Cross, while the congregation at New Life Family Church in Margate are sponsoring a water supply to an African village in Cameroon.

She said: “If the sea is rough, I’ll be scared, but I hope I’ll still enjoy the experience.”

Sylvia will be expected to take part in all the tasks on the ship, hauling on ropes, handling sails, steering, cooking, cleaning and keeping lookout.

Periods on duty last four hours, followed by eight hours off, so sometimes she’ll be waking up for her watch in the middle of the night, whatever the weather. If extra crew are needed to change sail, they can be called on deck at any time.

Born in Ceylon, Sylvia came to the UK in 1966 and has lived in London and, since 2003, in Margate with her husband, Chris, and two cats. Sylvia, who has one son, worked for many years as an accountant in the fashion business, but is now retired. She enjoys her fitness classes and is a committed Christian.