A steady easterly, moderate swell and a 148 foot long tall ship. What’s not to love?

On the 25th of February the Spirit of New Zealand made a gorgeous sight sailing up Lyttelton Harbour. For students Alfie Gillard, Luke O’Neill and teacher Kay McGowan it was a chance to reconnect with a boat that they had previously sailed or served on. For student Micaela Lovell it was a taste of things to come later in the year. Teacher and huge fan of sailing, Emma Moloney provided much needed back-up.

The Spirit of Adventure Trust was set up in 1972 to provide young New Zealanders with access to a character development programme conducted in a maritime environment. Since then they have had two training vessels, The Spirit of New Zealand being the latest, which is believed to be the world’s busiest youth training ship. For anyone who has sailed on the boats, it has been an experience of a lifetime, one that stays in the blood, as Alfie, Luke and Kay can attest to.