World-Voyaging Tall Ship to Visit Auckland

World-Voyaging Tall Ship to Visit Auckland

LUNENBURG – She’s circled the world five times, introducing more than 1000 men and women to the challenges and rewards of traditional sailing, and now the award-winning sail training ship, the Barque Picton Castle, is headed to Auckland.

Paul Bishop, Head of Race Directorate, is “pleased to confirm” the 179-foot classic square rigger has joined the fleet of ships participating in Sail Training International’s Sydney to Auckland Tall Ships Regatta this October.

“Picton Castle last raced with us in 2009 [Charleston to Boston, USA] and she proved to be a terrific addition to the racing fleet,” said Mr. Bishop. “We are delighted to welcome her back into our events.”

Sailing under the command of Capt. Daniel Moreland – one of the world’s foremost authorities on traditional vessels and Sail Training International’s 2011 Sail Trainer of the Year – the Picton Castle travels the globe offering seamanship training and adventure to a truly international audience. On her most recent circumnavigation, the ship set sail with 40 trainee sailors and 12 professional mariners, men and women representing more than a dozen nationalities, and ranging in age from 18 to 70.

Aboard Picton Castle everyone works to sail and maintain the ship: they stand watch, take their turn at the wheel, handle sail, haul on lines, go aloft (optional), scrub the deck and help in the galley. Shipboard workshops include rope and wire splicing, handling small boats under sail, oars and engine, ancient, modern and celestial navigation, weather, sailmaking and small boat carpentry.

Currently in the Cook Islands, the Picton Castle sailed from Nova Scotia on the East Coast of Canada in 2013 as part of a multi-year voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Since transiting the Panama Canal in December, ship and crew have visited the Galapagos, Pitcairn Island, Mangareva, Huahine and Tahiti in French Polynesia; and Aitutaki, Rarotonga and Palmerston Atoll in the Cooks. She will next set sail for Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga.

No previous sailing experience is required to join the Picton Castle, although candidates must be of good health and there is an interview process.

The ship is currently accepting applications to sail in the Cook Islands this June and July, or as part of an extended voyage beginning at Rarotonga in August and including travels to Tonga, Norfolk Island, Sydney, Auckland, the Bay of Islands, Chatham Island, a stunning sea passage to Pitcairn Island, then on to Mangareva, the Marquesas, Nuku Hiva, the Tuamotus, the Society Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa and Fiji.

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