Tall Ship Voyage 2026
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Day 1: Joining Day
Sunday 2st June, 2026
Alongside Huskisson Dock, Liverpool
Charlotte, North Liverpool Academy: Fore Watch number 7
We arrived at school at 8:30 in the morning to begin our journey. Then we had a brief meeting about how our day would be structured and headed out of school towards the docks and to the Pelican where we were split into three watches and were assigned our cabins. We met our cabin mates and got to know each other and got comfortable as we were going to spend the rest of the journey alongside them. We were given time to unpack our belongings and make our bed. Lunch was served after a small period of relaxation.
The cook served us fajitas with mac and cheese and salad. The meal was very fulfilling and nutritional. Later we met the crew, the captain, chief officer, chief engineer and the rest of the volunteers in the ‘welcome onboard meeting’. They gave us a tour around the Pelican, taught us how to wear our harnesses correctly and safely as well as checking our personal information and details with Captain Darren.
Before dinner, we completed an emergency muster drill which consisted of the general alarm sounding across the ship and all crew mustering at their muster station and donning their life jackets- although this was a little bit terrifying it is very important that we all know what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency at sea.
In the evening, we were served dinner which consisted of sweetcorn, pork, broccoli and mash. After dinner, many games were provided by the Pelican voyage crew which entertained us during our down time. We sat with the other crew members who were from the Isle of Man, and they told us about their different culture such as their folklore and celebrations on the island. This was intriguing as well as surprising to us, students from Liverpool. Finally, both trainees and crew went to sleep at ten in the evening. Overall, the first day consists of settling in and making ourselves comfortable with the ship.
Day 2: Departure from Liverpool
Monday 22nd June, 2026
Liverpool – Anchor at Dulas Bay, Anglesey
Cyrus, North Liverpool Academy: Mizzen Watch number 5
I had a wonderful time on day 2, we woke up at 07.00, and after having our breakfast, we departed Liverpool at 08.00, locked out alongside the new Mersey ferry and motored out of the river into Liverpool Bay. As we passed though the lock system, the lock released some water, so we are at the same level as the river outside the lock.
As we got underway, we set up safety nets at the sides of the ship together and tied the ropes into a loop. We had some delicious cookies made by Shalom and Maciej, the messmen for day 2. For lunch, we had hotdogs with salad. Throughout the afternoon we attended 3 activities: The first one was steering and lookout; learning some knowledge of getting the helm, rotating the angle of the ship. Afterwards, we went to climb the first part of the rigging. This was to the first platform, known as the ‘tops’. We had to use our two clips on the safety lines. It was very exciting, but Louise was too slow, and I was stuck on the platform for 5 minutes (Louise approved that) but we all made it! Last but not least, we had a conversation with scientist Sam about the Ocean Science workshop, we went into great detail about tidal streams influenced by the moon.
We have made a lot of new friends already. Dinner was spaghetti bolognaise and mixed canned fruits. I took a shower, and we played scrabble, and I gained 32 marks with placing an X only. Jun, Maciej and I bought some snacks from the shop so I will not get bored and hungry whilst on watch at night. I went to my bunk at 23.00 and woke up at 0.00 for anchor watch, Louise made me a cup of hot chocolate because I was struggling with putting my harness on. Cameron and I stayed on watch on the bridge and anchor watching from 0:20 to 02:40, we saw a lot of tiny glowing jellyfish when we anchored off Dulas Bay, Anglesey for the night. It was a very busy day.
Day 3: Anchor at Dulas Bay
Tuesday 23rd June, 2026
Stevie Tyrer, North Liverpool Academy: Fore Watch number 9
I woke up at 3:50 am to do my morning anchor watch which consisted of me measuring the temperature of the sea and looking out for anything that could disrupt us while we were anchored. At 5am, I swapped with the next watch members who were taking over from us and I went back to my cabin to get ready.
We had lots of different workshops throughout the day such as knot tying with the cadets, in this I helped prepare one of the sails (T’Gallant) by folding it fan-like state and then tying it with a series of lines known as gaskets. I found it very interesting to learn how the sails work and I really enjoyed watching the crew put the sail on to its yard.
We then had the scientific workshop with the scientist Sam where we measured the ocean acidification by blowing bubbles into a beaker of sea water for 5 minutes, we used litmus paper to measure the Ph of it. We noticed the Ph changed significantly after blowing the bubbles. I enjoyed this because I found it engaging and interesting however, it was hard to blow bubbles for that long. This practical represented exactly what is happening to the world’s oceans- emissions from land are absorbed by the ocean, changing the overall Ph and consequently impacting ecosystems.
Our final workshop was with the Photographer Jacob where he taught us the different types of pictures we could take such as thirds, odds and negative space. He then let us go and tasked us to take pictures using these prompts.
The weather was glorious, and the Irish Sea was so still- apparently this is extremely rare and so we all embraced it. I then went on watch where we had taken turns on the helm and keeping lookout, I struggled slightly with the helm as I found it slightly challenging to keep course on track, but I managed to get the hang of it in the end. Whilst on watch we saw lots of different wildlife such as jellyfish, dolphins, seals and Minke whales- although this was a brief encounter it was so special. We didn’t Anchor this night so sleeping was a slight struggle as we were moving quite a lot due to the wind increasing and coming from the North which was the direction we were travelling, but I managed to get a couple hours of sleep before my watch at 00.00 to 04.00.
Day 4: Port Ellen, Islay
Wednesday 24th June, 2026
Dylan, North Liverpool Academy: Fore Watch number 6
Previously to my middle watch period, hours 0000-0400 I woke up a few hours before, as I had not adjusted to sleeping schedule. The calm waters from before had become more aggressive, causing the ship to pitch about. Despite the baltic temperature and winds, I admired the sunset on the horizon before preparing myself for my upcoming watch, which consisted of wearing more layers. During my watch, I spent my time at the bridge on the lookout for other vessels in the sea and anything that could possibly cause a hazard to the Pelican. Overtime the ship became encased by a dark, grey fog. After 2 hours into my watch, I was granted a 10-minute break, I spent this eating toast. As the swatch progressed, it become increasingly challenging, I spent majority of my time contemplating what I signed myself up to. However, I managed to find the will to push through until the watch concluded.
After 4 hours of sleep, we anchored off Port Ellen in Scotland. After lunch of burgers, we were informed that we will spend the day in the village of Port Ellen. We were given a briefing to ensure our safety off ship. I had a few minutes to gather any belonging and money I would like to take before the rib would take us to the shore. After landing on the beach, me and my friends explored the area while waiting for the rest of the voyage crew. After everyone arrived we had a scientific workshop, where we learned about the various types of animals and other organisms that inhabit beaches and shores. When that concluded, we were given permission to explore the island of Islay for a few hours, with this time me and my friends walked to the village in search for a shop to buy some snacks and ice-cream.
After a few hours ashore we were collected from the beach in the RIB, returning in the same order as we arrived. Heading back towards the Pelican at anchor was breath taking- sitting at anchor she looked very picturesque in the bay- it was amazing to think that in such as short time we had become the crew of the ship and had managed to get the ship from Liverpool all the way to Scotland. Once everyone was back onboard lots of voyage crew showered to remove the sand and salt from their skin- this dented the already dwindling fresh water supply. After our dinner we had a quiet evening were some of the crew played card games, sat and talked or even tried their hand at fishing from Pelican’s poop deck. We were scheduled to complete another 1 hour anchor watch between 20.00-00.00.
Day 5: At anchor Port Ellen and Sailing
Thursday 25th June, 2026
Tara, North Liverpool Academy: Main Watch number 5
Day 5 was another chaotic day on board of the ship; I woke up at 6:30am and got ready for 7:00am for galley duty because it was my day to be on the duty alongside Zuzanna and Cyrus which was fun and calm at the start of the day. Around 8:00am is when we weighed anchor and set sail up north. Two hours into my shift, we called out onto the well deck to get training on the seamanship; this is where we learnt how to pull the lines, make fast and learn key sailing vocabulary such as, “well” this means stop or freeze whatever it is we are doing. Another term I have learnt on the 5 days on this ship is “2…6…heave” which I think is fun when pulling on the main yards when bracing.
At 10:30 my shift in the galley resumed as normal, this is where me and Zuzanna were tasked with making sausage rolls using turkey meat as it is healthier than pork. Zuzanna and I got straight to work and impressed our chef Jules by working quickly and yet being very precise on how to fold over the sausage into the pastry. Whereas Cyrus had egging and making the lines on the sausages for airing it. This is where things got a little rough as it, we were rushing to get everything plated up for first sitting of lunch and prepare rest of the food for second sitting. First sitting ended being smooth and we moved on to second sitting which resulted in more chaos however, it ended up being smooth and this meant that we could eat as well. Later, we washed, dried and put away all washed dishes and had a break from 1:00pm to 3:00pm. During this break we loosened headsails on bowsprit, set 2 square sails and sailed for more than 2 hours without our engine being used.
However, after the break, we got an announcement telling us that the wind was 20 knots strong; so, we had to turn back and go to port Ellen and anchor there again for the night and wait out the thunderstorm that was on the way. This was basically the end of my galley day shift and finally showered. Finally, everyone met up on the main deck and we were just talking which was so fun, and I had a great time.
Day 6: At anchor Crinan
Friday 26th June, 2026
Ioannis, North Liverpool Academy: Main Watch number 5
In the morning, we weighed the anchor and set the sails as we managed to gain some wind- pushing us in the correct direction. This included setting all the yards to the correct heading to catch the wind by heaving on the portside and easing on the starboard before setting the sails. After setting the correct heading we set the sails and sailed towards the start of the Crinan canal with the course, topsail , T’Gallant and spanker set and a couple of headsails. Unfortunately, as I went to heave the course brace it started to rain out of nowhere with huge raindrops that made me work even harder on heaving as I was only in a shirt and work trousers so the course sail got moved surprisingly fast and to no surprise as soon as the course was square where we wanted it to be the rain completely stopped, just our luck! We have been very lucky with the weather, so we didn’t complain too much.
After sailing for a few hours, we eventually arrived at our anchorage and handed and stowed the sails then used the engine to crawl our way into the bay where we were going to spend the night, then we eventually dropped the anchor and were able to enjoy the view of the great Scottish coastline. After anchoring we all had to meet in the mess room in our different watch groups to take part in a inter-watch quiz that included questions about the ship and just general knowledge quiz questions which lasted for a while with about 25 questions and everyone, forewatch in particular being very competitive about winning.
During the night, we had our separate anchor watches that included looking out for other vessels that might be heading towards ourselves or just any possible dangers to the ship. Eventually my watch was over, and I went down to my cabin to find 2 engineers working on getting the heads back together as the vacuum system had been temperamental for the past few days. They had fixed them and were putting the bulkheads and shower back together, as they had had a very long day and were getting fatigued, they said they would finish installing the shower curtain and the main shower system back on the bulkhead the next day as they were struggling with doing so due to having had such a long day. As I enjoy joinery at home, I grabbed my multitool from my bag and got to fixing managing to put the shower system and shower curtain back up, eventually we had the shower back up and running and the heads.
Day 7: At Sea and At anchor in Tobermory
Saturday 27th June, 2026
Karolina and Shalom, North Liverpool Academy: Mizzen Watch number 7 and 2
Hi everyone! This is our 7th day sailing the grand sea with the Pelican and what a day we have had. We woke up early in the morning, and we got ready for the long day ahead by doing our hair and makeup, getting changed and brushing our teeth before customising our breakfast to our comfort. I had a bowl of cereal and Shalom had two pieces of toast. After this, Captain Darren informed us that today was the day that we use the square sails efficiently due to the wind we were getting, this means that we had to completely switch off the engine. This is a good thing for us to do as a sailing ship because we are helping the environment by reducing the amount of carbon emission. Me and Shalom were cautious of how vicious the weather has been the past couple of days, so we decided to go to our cabin and wear weather effective clothing such as our waterproof gear and raincoats. Putting the gear on is SO HARD because there are buckles and zips we must do up so that our clothing is weather effective.
Me and Karolina giggle a lot during this because of the small and packed cabin, as well as this special gear, we have harnesses we are permitted to use during our watch. Look out duties are scheduled and can happen anytime. Sometimes we release a huge laugh if we are trying to put on our harnesses during the night whether it’s inside our cabin or outside on the well deck in the dark.
Anyway, we got our waterproof gear on, and we headed on outside to set the sails, as the permanent crew couldn’t do this without us. It’s too hard of a job on their own! The wind was insane and suddenly it started raining! The rain was unbelievable; it battered us all one by one. Most of the Voyage Crew believed that it was just ‘spitting ‘, but me and Karolina whispered to each other that it would get worse- and it did. Heaving, bracing and easing – techniques we had learnt over the past couple of days - repeatedly.
During this, we loosened the course. All we had to do was loosen the gaskets causing the sails to drop into its gear. This is so that our sails can fall out and be able to catch up with the crazy wind! The whole process was insanely amazing and allowed the Voyage Crew to come together and help each other which built our leadership and teamworking skills. We had to make sure we were listening to our deck crew Shauna, Caro and Rogan who are familiar faces when working closely with the ropes and heaving at the same time. It was tiring for both of us and everybody else. So, we’re extremely proud.
After completing the difficulties of sailing, me and Shalom decided to go sit on the poop deck and relax while we could before our look out duty at 6-8. Our other friends joined us too and we shared some jokes and laughs like we normally do. A couple hours went by, and we have sailed over 40 miles from Crinan to Tobermory!
We went to go have our dinner and afterwards we headed to our watch. We were drenched, but a lot of laughing, talking, dancing and watching happened. This made the experience worthwhile, and we are both super happy about the friends we have made along the way. After our watch, we had a inter watch competition which was divided by our different watch groups: Fore, Main and Mizzen! This was super challenging but super fun. We did a knot relay race. We had to learn the 6 different types of knots throughout the day whenever we had free time. Some of them were difficult but we got there in the end. Fore watch placed first, and our watch placed second place overall and our entire watch group was thrilled.
To end the night, me and Shalom sat in our cabin with our other friends. We stayed up talking and getting ready for bed, then we went to sleep, so we are well rested for our next busy day ahead.
Day 8: At anchor Duart Bay
Sunday 28th June, 2026
Alin, North Liverpool Academy: Mizzen Watch number 3
My day started out by going to my watch on the bridge from 01:20 through to 02:40 since our total 4-hour watch as a watch team (Mizzen) was split up into 3 separate watches of 1 hour and 20 minutes each. I believe the first watch consisted of Louise and Cyrus, the second one had me and Adam, and the Third was Shalom and Cameron.
After my watch, I sat in the mess room for a little bit longer while listening to some of my favourite music and talking to friends around the table. After our discussion ended, we all started making our way down to our designated rooms to get ready for bed and sleep the rest of the night. I got ready for bed by brushing my teeth and changing into more appropriate clothing for bed.
Waking up the next day at 7:00 am, I got changed into slightly thicker clothes due to the cold breeze outside flowing in through the permanently open door to the mess room to ensure I wouldn’t have to spend more time going back to my cabin to change again since this would have limited my time to have my breakfast meal which included 2 bowls of cereal.
Once the morning routines were completed, we were transported via the RIB to the shore of Tobermory. When we all arrived on the pontoon, we were allowed to split up and separate from each other to go and explore wherever we wanted around the location, but we always had to be in at least a pair just in case of emergencies.
We spent around 3 hours ashore and then made our way back to the ship by RIB. Getting back on the boat after visiting a plethora of different shops like Co-op and a very niche souvenir shop where I bought 2 bracelets, a ring, and a fridge magnet for my fridge at home which came out to be an astounding £40, this only left me with £15 left in my wallet which I also later spend on a new pair of sun glasses. I also spend a lot of money in the Co-op restocking on snacks and drinks.
After the morning ended, it was time for my first watch of the day from 12.00 to 16.00 with my team. Again, we split it into 3 watches of 2-3 people; this time I was partnered up with Karolina and Cyrus to watch the port and starboard sides of the ship to make sure there were no dangers in sight or potential threats.
After raising the anchor, we sailed past the Isle of Mull while setting the sails and adjusting them to face the catch the wind so we would gain more speed without the use of the engine which saved us fuel and power. After sailing for about 2 more hours, we arrived at Durat Bay which is the place we dropped the anchor again, preparing for the night ahead.
Sam the Scientist then got out his microscope and started showing us all the different types of plankton and animals in the sea water all around us. There we saw copepods which are extremely small creatures the are the inspiration to Plankton from SpongeBob SquarePants. These samples were collected whilst we were sailing. We continued socialising in the Mess room before going to bed ready for another night of anchor watches.
Day 9: Alongside Dunstaffnage Marina
Monday 29th June, 2026
Zuzanna, North Liverpool Academy: Forewatch number 5.
The night before we stayed at anchor in Duart Bay which is a beautiful place filled with many different boats and ships as well as a lot of greenery and even a waterfall. The stay there during the night allowed us to have specific time watches, this means that instead of doing a whole 4-hour watch from 12-4 am or 4-8am we were able to split them into 3, 1 hour and 20-minute intervals. This let us get more sleep and rest in during the night as constant watch wasn’t needed because we were at anchor. Although we were stopped dangers still align so we had to as well watch out for other ships, boats, people and more.
In the morning of the following day, we done the egg dropping competition. One person from every watch climbed onto the green platform with their designated team’s egg and then dropped it. Forewatch went first and it almost hit us. Main watch was next, they had a parachute, so their egg contraption almost went over the side however, thankfully the nets caught it in place, and it didn’t even touch the deck. Lastly, Mizzen watch went, and their egg travelled the least distance aft on the Poop deck. However, in the end when we uncovered the eggs we were able to see that none had cracked nor broken!! David (Chief Officer) then said he needed three volunteers to help him, and he unexpectedly cracked the eggs onto their heads. This was to check the integrity of the egg and more importantly to make sure the egg hadn’t been hard boiled! We then weighed anchor and began our approach to Dunstaffnage Marina. We came alongside a pontoon and may of our watch mates assisted with the mooring operations, such as linesman or on the mooring deck.
During some free time, those who were up to it went for a social climb- this would be the last opportunity to climb before the end of the voyage. After dinner, David set up a quiz with 19 questions all about the ship. It included questions like where is the hoover stowed and how many toilet paper sheets are you supposed to use per flush. After the quiz we all had social time in the mess room which involved everyone watching the tennis at Wimbledon and the Germany v Paraguay World Cup football match on the projector whilst the shop was open.
Tall Ship Voyage 2025
What a week it's been for the North Liverpool Academy crew aboard the Pelican! Our young voyagers have experienced a truly unforgettable journey, as documented in their own words.
Click here to find out more about the Pelican of London.
What is the Pelican Of London?
The Pelican of London isn’t just a ship, it’s a place where future leaders are made, one adventure at a time.
Onboard the Pelican, young people experience more than just sailing, they become part of a supportive community, transforming from trainees into valued crew members. Through each voyage, we open doors to new opportunities, inspiring young people to dream bigger and embrace their potential. Find out more.
Student Voyage Diary
Day 1: Learning the ropes
22/06/25
Day 1 Liverpool Osaruonamen Koroma Main Watch No.8
It has definitely been one of the most interesting and entertaining weekends of my whole life. So, let me give you a sailing trip to what we’ve done on the first day.
It was incredibly early morning, as we were due to start the transportation to the Pelican Of London by 8:30am, meaning that we had to be fast and punctual. The reason why I started getting heavily ecstatic about the trip was due to the fast paced, organised and well-planned trip, as there was a system in place. We were all waiting and supporting each other and sharing laughs and a sense of unity and solidarity was strengthen even before the trip had begun. I was part of main watch and it was a solid group. It had new people and people I’ve never really talked to so it was the time to socialise and make new friends. We were all speaking to each other on the bus. Meaning we had plenty of time to kill. By 9:15, we were all onboard. With an amazing introduction of the crew members. Which such crew members were really positive, determined and happy to help us, which allowed a great mentor-mentee bond to be ignited. I even had a great conversation with the crew members of a book that I was reading, which showed that they were heavily interested in our lives and had a personal interest in what made us who we are. Which made me feel reassured and validated. It made me feel incredibly fulfilled and excited for what was going to be 10 days of my life at sea.
9:45-10:15- We were then allowed to organise our clothes, providing us with shelves, boxes, baskets and bed duvets, which showed how useful and providing they were. One of the best aspects in my opinion about the trip was the fact that we as official crew members were actually sharing a room. Although, really awkward but we actually learned from it a lot. The whole point of it was to showcase teamwork and a collective consensus in regards of decisions. This opportunity has also led me to make new friends and also talk the people I would have never expected to interact with. We helped each other and made sure our bags and packages were properly organised. This allowed me to understand the importance of togetherness and how we can achieve a goal together. Alongside this, it reduced any type of awkwardness and it allowed me to become more comfortable as I kept speaking to them.
12-12:30-Lunch was provided and it gave us a closer look to the food in the sea life. Vegetable soup with croutons really delicious and nutritious.
12:30-15:10 We then divided ourselves into the groups, as I was part of the Main Watch, we started our schedule right on time, starting with a brief overview of the ship, this was actually helpful as we got to understand how the boat works as a whole and they also provided us with a tour of the boat. Which we got to see how immense the boat itself is. Places like the messroom and the cabins were the highlights of the boat, as we were allowed to bring games on deck, which allowed different varieties of friends to engage with others, such engaging games resulted into new friendships being forged alongside the overarching goal of the ship, to be a community.
Then, we signed on with the Captain, in the saloon, the saloon itself was something so comfortable and was probably designed to be felt like a living room at home. Where I had an insightful conversation with the Captain and the medic. The Helm Lookout was the starting point of the Sea Life, we were introduced to the Second Officer. People from the group had an opportunity to stir the ship.
Seamanship with the Bosun was the fifth activity of the day which consisted of:
Coils on deck down to one turn- getting the line ready on the pin
Easing- ease the line away.
Hauling- (pulling on a line).
2-6 Heave -(when pulling on a line with a team).
Make Fast- drop the lines
Come up- tie the lines
Well!- was used to get everyone to stop immediately any activity that they are doing.
All of this terminology was really important and it was vital for us as crew members to rehearse this. So we all tried each individual actions, which I first struggled with and asked for help, and although I did = not mastered it, I still asked If I could try again, which I liked as they pushed us to be more resilient and hard working. This was significant as it allowed a progress to we’ve made.
We did lots of Safety & Meetings briefings and overall made everyone aware of their surroundings. Alongside have few breaks to rest our minds off. Which we enjoyed by playing Muffin time at 15:10-19:00.
Lastly at 19:00, we finished with the introduction of the Scientist on deck in regards of Marine Biologist, they made a great point on how the national curriculum does not provide their students with expertise on Oceanography which was what we focused on. Mammal identification was what we started with. It was a joy and a pleasure to learn about the different type of mammals and deconstruct the myth that dolphins are fish or that seals are fish or even whales. It was and something new to learn, which I gained with the workshop, Knowledge. Which in fact was my favourite out of all the activities the fact that we were learning new things. Knowledge is power and a great skill they gave us.
And from 19:00 to 22:00 we were allowed to chill and then from then on sleep.
Overall Day 1 was absolutely exceptional and fascinating. I was really weary and worried when the trip was actually coming on about, as I really struggle to look at the bigger picture. Which thankfully Miss Williams allowed me to step out of my comfort place, and thanks to this trip not only has it allowed me to step out of my comfort zone and be able to be productive but it has taught me that sometimes you need to do uncomfortable in order to find comfortability. It has taught me to look at the bigger picture. I’m really excited to see what the trip awaits.
Captains welcome onboard and plan for the voyage
Rope handlings, hauling, easing, making fast and coiling down
Emergency drill
Evening entertainment cards and Uno
Day 2: A Blustery Start and Unexpected Delays (23rd June 2025)
Alicia Ademuyiwa, Fore Watch-No.10
Woken up early at 6:30 AM for breakfast, which was split into two groups. I was slightly nervous, but we found bread, toasters, cereal, jams, and marmalades. The no-phone rule was great for conversation.
Our group was then called to help with the ropes on the Pelican. We unhooked ropes and moved sails, one group on starboard (mine) and one on port. I had to ease the sail while port side was heaving. It was tricky, but I regained control. We set sail at 8:45 AM, 20 minutes earlier than planned, with high morale.
Then we ran into a problem. The wind reached 30 knots, so we couldn't leave the dock safely without damaging the Pelican. We had to stay at a new port in the dock, which some people weren't happy about.
We chatted inside and had a briefing at 10 AM. People started climbing the ship, admiring the views despite the wind. Everyone from the mizzen group climbed, and all had positive replies, astonished by the views.
Students have learnt how to wear their harnesses correctly and following a safety brief they get to climb to the first platform (the tops) and back down the other side - known locally as the up and over.
At around 12 PM, we had cheesy pasta for dinner. Portions were large and comforting. My favourite combination was Tabasco and cheesy pasta! More people climbed, some cleaned cabins or made crafts. I found the mess room comforting and watched videos.
Around 1 PM, more people climbed, and Charlie gave us a useful and interesting talk about clouds, teaching me about different layers and the wind's influence on rain. This ended, allowing us to wind down. We played card games and watched movies. I fell asleep around 9-10 PM, but at 12 AM, the rockiness of the sea woke me – it was time for our first watch.
Day 3: Braving the Irish Sea (24th June 2025)
Riard Sekiraqa, Liverpool to Irish Sea, Fore Watch-No.9
On Day 3, we had watch from 4 AM to 8 AM, waking up half an hour before. Only half the people were outside on watch because almost everyone was sea sick, as this was our first day sailing. Only two trainees weren't sick. The weather was harsh, and steering the ship was difficult due to high winds constantly swaying us off course. I often went to the scupper holes on each side of the boat to vomit, as it's easier to clean than on deck. The rain made it worse, drenching our waterproofs, which were hard to dry. Some trainees stayed inside due to cold or sickness. The best feeling was seeing the next watch arrive to take over.
After our watch, we had breakfast, but no one could eat much due to sea sickness. The crew offered half pieces of toast, but they were left untouched. I lay down on a friend's bunk and immediately fell asleep for about 4 hours, waking up feeling like a whole new day had passed.
The staff advised us to look over the horizon if we felt sea sick, so our eyes could see we were moving. I stayed outside, and with the sun out, everyone was lying on the wooden boards, enjoying the sun and watching the clouds. Occasionally, a wave would crash on the port side, splashing everyone.
We were called for our next watch, a two-hour dog watch, from 4 PM to 6 PM. On this watch, we set the Topsail, which took about 30 minutes, then coiled all the ropes. I decided to stay awake until my next watch at midnight.
Day 4: Mess Duty, Island Exploration, and High Climbs (25th June 2025)
Students have completed their 'Happy Hour' this morning which consisted of cleaning the heads (toilets) and showers.
Osaruese Koroma, Mizzen Watch Number 3
My Day 4 started at 7 AM as the Messman, helping the cook, Janis, with dishes and serving food. On Day 3, when we started sailing, many got sea sick, including the messmen. Dishes piled up, so myself, Muataz, and Miss Williams helped out, washing, rinsing, drying, and wiping. This teamwork made me enjoy being a messman, and Day 4 was easy as I knew what to do.
Around 9 AM, we went to a rocky beach called Islay in a small RIB boat. My "Mizzen watch" went first. We wore life jackets, and Charlie, the scientist, explained we were looking for shark egg shells. I was excited but didn't find any, though I did find a smooth, small, pink rock for my collection. Back on board, we looked at shark cases and collected algae under the microscope.
Students have have been studying shark cases from the beach with a professor of marine Biology. They are studying sharks on their expedition. They also got the chance to examine Plankton under a microscope.
At 3 PM, they asked who wanted to climb, and I excitedly said yes! They called it a "once in a lifetime opportunity." I put on my harness and climbed up to the course yard, then to the Topsail to stow the sail, as we didn't need it. This was demanding, but I was good at it and didn't end up hanging by my harness. Packing the sail with others took about 2 hours, finishing by dinner time around 5 PM. I then made my announcement: "Bing Bong… dinner is served so come and dine, and as always, don’t forget to smile!" I still had galley duties until 8 PM.
Students have been working alongside the ship's cook to provide 3 meals a day for all of the crew. Each day one person from each watch works in the Galley helping to cook to prepare each meal and do the washing up.
At 8 PM, I was really tired, so I went to my cabin, watched a series on my iPad, and had a good night's sleep, ready for the next day.
Day 5: Balamory Calling and Sailing by Wind (26th June 2025)
Ryan Kelly, Main Watch Number 3
Today, Day 5, we started anchored at Staffa, near Fingal’s Cave. I woke up after my first proper full night’s sleep without any watches. I had a chaotic shower, forgetting my towel and having to devise a plan to get it! At breakfast, I had Nutella on toast, but the toaster was slow, and Miss Williams and I couldn't agree on whether to put butter on before Nutella.
After breakfast, we were told we'd go to Fingal’s Cave in the RIB. Everyone was buzzing, but the captain announced we couldn't go inside due to "white water." After an inspection, it was completely cancelled, which I was very unhappy about as it could have been a highlight.
After that, we set sail for Tobermory, which I was excited for as it’s the setting of the fictional show Balamory. It was surreal to experience it in real life after watching it as a kid.
Later, I got the opportunity to climb up to the topsail and help loosen the sail. I was nervous but decided to go for it. It was really fun watching from above, but my hands and feet ached from holding the ropes. After loosening the gaskets, I had to rewrap them using the clove hitch knot I'd just learned. It was scary due to the wind, crouching on the footrope with two others. After releasing and retying, I climbed back down to my watch. Finally, we set the outer jib, staysail T’gallant, and Trisail, and then sailed for about 3 hours with no engine power. It was much more comfortable, the ship heeled to one side instead of bouncing. It was amazing to be under the control of the wind.
On my turn at the helm, it was much harder to steer with the sails up; tiny movements made a massive difference. We stuck to a little bit into the port side, known as weather helm. After my turn, I went into the wheelhouse and took the Captain’s chair (Captain Roy was resting). I relaxed on the poop deck, looking out for buoys.
Eventually, we arrived at Tobermory, which was literally Balamory. It was so weird seeing it in real life after watching it as a kid. We anchored there for the night.
Later, Charlie, our scientist, showed us an underwater camera and equipment called "Bob" from Nortek. Bob was deployed for 12 hours to measure current, temperature, flow rate, and pressure. Finally, later that night, I FaceTimed Miss Mutch with Miss Williams to update her. It was a nice, wholesome call and a lovely way to end the day.
Day 6: Tobermory Shore Leave and Knotting Up (27th June 2025)
Arabella Irving, Fore Watch Number 2
To start the day, we were meant to have watch from 12 AM to 4 AM, but because we were anchored in Tobermory, we didn't have to, which I was very happy about. Any extra sleep on the boat is precious. We then had breakfast, and I was surprised I could eat after feeling so ill the previous days. Eating even one piece of toast was a good sign. I really enjoyed seeing Tobermory, as it’s where Balamory was set, which was my childhood. It was nostalgic seeing all the colourful houses. Crew members ran us ashore in the RIB to Tobermory for about an hour. Being in the RIB was one of my favourite parts; it was fun because the crew went quite fast. On the way back, it rained, and my glasses were covered, making it hard to see, but the water looked cool. It was a very enjoyable experience overall.
After lunch, we headed towards Oban after weighing anchor. At this point, I started getting excited. Being surrounded by such a large group had become slightly aggravating – cabin fever, as some would say. Everyone is friendly, but being in a confined area for so long is one of the biggest struggles.
Later that evening, we practised tying various knots for the knot-tying competition. My watch group needed to do well as we lost the previous day. We learned five knots: clove hitch, figure of 8, bowline, round turn and two half hitches, and reef knot. My favourite was the reef knot, the easiest to understand, with the round turn and two half hitches being the most difficult, but I eventually got it.
Then, we had to use scraps to create a vessel for an egg, which would be dropped from the main tops as far aft as possible without damage. We used toilet paper and leftover plastic. We got first choice of resources, so if we don't win, it'll be disappointing, but I think we will.
We were supposed to go ashore in Oban after dinner, but due to intense wind and rain, we couldn't, which was disappointing. As an alternative, we did an inter-watch quiz, with subgroups on boat aspects and marine animals. We didn't win, but we didn't lose either. Mizzen watch won by 2 points (41), while we (fore watch) scored 39, and main watch scored 37.
After the quiz, which ended around 9 PM, many people played cards loudly. It got annoying, but after being told to be quiet, everyone relaxed. Since we were anchored, I didn't have to stay up late or wake up early, so I went to bed around midnight and slept immediately.
Day 7: Scottish Highlands and Knot-Tying Triumph (28th June 2025)
Romeo Rivera, Mizzen Watch Number 8
After a full night's sleep, I woke at 5:30 AM to study quietly, admiring the tranquil view of lush mountains towering over Oban. At 7:20 AM, Miss Williams announced breakfast for Mizzen watch before our 8 AM to 12:30 PM watch.
The plan was to leave Oban for Fort William, where we'd anchor that night. A good friend's 17th birthday was planned with dinner ashore. Miss Williams also had us sign a card for him.
Departing Oban, I took my watch on starboard. The view was breathtaking: tall green mountains and crystal-clear water. I saw a quarry and ferries, but no dolphins today. The ship stopped for 1.5-2 hours to release sails. Watching others climb made me want to go aloft. I eased a rope to help put up the spanker sail at the back, admiring the bosun and watch leaders' coordination. After our shift, the lead bosun asked us to help finish the spanker sail. Tightening (sweating and tailing) was tough, needing two people and a lot of muscle, but I trusted my crewmates.
Afterwards, I had lunch in the mess room; the food was amazing as always. For the rest of the afternoon, I adored the Scottish valleys. The sun and warm breeze made it feel like a holiday, making me forget being sea sick. What made it better was climbing the rig to stow a sail.
Safety was key: always three points of contact. We practised five knots, and the clove hitch was the one to use. I was nervous but Emily and Lorna's clear demonstration helped me revise. Waterproofs on, harness tightened, and knowing the knot, I climbed. I incorporated everything taught: three points of contact, correct limb placement, and at least one clip on the rig. We put the sails away successfully, and I got an amazing view of the Scottish highlands.
Dinner approached, and I looked forward to anchoring at Fort William for my friend's birthday. I tried maths, but still struggled. I kept admiring the views. Just before anchoring, the ship drifted a lot, anchoring far from shore. I worried it might interfere, but dismissed it. My concerns proved right: after beef stew, the chief mate announced we couldn't go ashore due to strong currents. It was late, and crew needed rest. Luckily, the knot-tying competition was still on.
The competition was a relay: one person per group tied a given knot. If correct, they waited; if not, they went to the back. First watch to finish won. No cheering allowed. Nervous, I waited. My teammate finished, and I sprinted. It was a bowline, which I'd practiced. I tied it, showed the watch leader, and he nodded. Relief! I rushed aside, comparing our queue. We were winning! We won again. There was one more, a speed round. A knot would be shouted, and one member had to tie it first for a point. I volunteered for the clove hitch. Unfortunately, I didn't get it right first time and lost a point. Disappointed, I went back, but my teammates consoled me. In the end, we came first overall, extending our watch's lead.
Nothing else was planned, so we had downtime. We sang happy birthday, and Miss Williams brought out a chocolate cake with red jam, kindly made by the chef. She also presented the signed card, pointing out funny jokes. I spent the rest of the evening enjoying cake and washing dishes while listening to sea shanties. Several people helped me, making me feel lucky. A friend pointed out I wasn't on mess duty, but I was fine with helping.
I prepared for bed, setting out clothes and saying goodnight to friends and family. Although we didn't go ashore, the chief mate assured us we would the next morning, so I was excited.
29/06/25
Day 8 Anchor at Fort William to anchor at Oban
Ruth Onwu Mizzen Watch Number 5
Unlike the other nights spent on the boat, instead of waking up earlier to get ready, I woke up to a confused but gentle voice of Miss Devitt. To be honest, I’d also be confused if I had to wake up a groggy half dead teenager in a dark corner of a room, that’s just nightmare fuel. I somehow managed to get ready in time to go upstairs and meet the main watch and my watch for breakfast, and trying a good 5 different spreads for my toast definitely woke me up.
After the morning meeting, it was time to get ready for our time ashore in Fort William. The landscape was beautiful enough in the night, but in the morning, with Ben Nevis hanging over it, the dramatic scene was enough to get me excited. I wore my jorts like I have way too many times on this trip, accompanied by my hat, and waterproofs. Now, I was under the very foolish belief a hat and coat were enough to keep me dry, but once I got onto the last boat to Fort William driven by Bosun and Bosun’s mate Daithi and Jacob, it only took 30 seconds before I was completely soaked. Finally, Sharon, Nikola, Carmen, Romeo and I got off the boat and were left to explore. We could’ve gone anywhere, little charity shops, sightseeing at quite literally one of the biggest mountains in the UK, but we decided that there was a place more worth visiting. The Tesco. Who knew that pot noodles, some reduced sushi and some cheesecake were enough for me to almost shed a tear. We then headed to the McDonalds to again spend more money on more food (it was so worth it).
After heading back to the boat and getting on watch whilst we headed to Oban, me and my other watchmates sat down and began discussing how we were going to make our egg project actually work. No joke, it felt like the most serious conversation If you were looking from afar. We landed on a bubble and paper filled box with an egg inside, alongside a parachute. Don’t get me wrong, the design physics-wise was great, but I wasn’t here for a scientific time, I was here for an artistic one, okay? We, as in Carmen, Osaruese, Sharon and I, came up for a design called: Yolkob. Get it? Probably not, but it’s obviously an egg pun on my favourite day worker Bosun mate Jakub.
Finally, it was time to present our masterpiece. Main watch had a rather interesting performance including a parrot giving birth to a half pringle half parrot abomination called peg that honestly, I was hoping wouldn’t survive that drop. Alicia performed something that felt a bit more political than anyone was expecting, and I was so close to feeling bad for Trubbish, because that was its name, but the fact it had pinkeye caught me so off guard that it also shouldn’t survive that drop for it’s own sake. But the best design was of course, Yolkob, who quite literally was the egg spawn of Jakub and he loved it. I don’t even have to dwindle on how each drop went because we all know damn well that Mizzen won.
Anyways, the day ended with a lovely evening of singing shanty songs with Sharon and others, playing poker, watching a film whilst eating my insane amount of snacks and enjoying the familiar view of Oban. This day felt a bit like reconciliation for the past couple of days, as well as giving me hope for the rest of our trip as we’re soon to go back home. As always, don’t forget to smile!
Day 9 Anchor at Oban to alongside at Dunstaffnage Marina, Oban
Emem Itoro Main Watch Number 5
Today’s activities on the boat were possibly the most agonizing, difficult, and unappealing that I have had to go through on the voyage, however, looking back on what things got done that day make it feel very rewarding. In the beginning, with a punch to the face, was the not so happy, happy hour. I could see why they called it the green mile, being subjected to the floor crawling along the entire corridor, packing and binning every speck of dust that I was called to collect most likely drove me insane, genuinely couldn’t tell where my name was being called from, I was literally running around like a headless chicken, but eventually, the job was all done.
Next, Watch duties. Luckily this wasn’t as bad but Bad weather genuinely had a fun time on this trip, there was supposed to be a grand entrance with the majority of the voyage crew (us) to man the yards and to practice old sailing tradition where old warships that used to enter sailing ports would make crew members man the yards in order to show that they were not a threat in order to commemorate our painstaking 10 day voyage as we docked into the marina however that never came to plan , very sad I know, but instead I had a very difficult job of being the helmsman as we docked, it was a very frantic and brutal part of my day working as fast and as accurately as possible in order to simultaneously work with the captains orders and the assisting ribs pushing the boat into a designated docking location, the captain was very impressive the way he balanced and calculated the orders over radio and in person, I’m glad that I had the honour to help end out journey across the sea, probably the highlight of my day to be honest.
With all sailing being done and dusted, then came the arrival of Ms Vernon and Ms Kennedy, who were also hit with issues on their journey to come and see us, despite this, it was a very warm and fun visit from them as they congratulated us for coming so far across the sea which tied in nicely with the next event of the day which gave them a little taste of what we had been up to for the last week or so, The Inter-Watch Wind turbine competition really tested us how well we were able to be conservative, efficient and creative, although some designs where nice and unique, the physics unfortunately didn’t match, I took a look at Seif’s group and their wind turbine design aligned with my expectations of a design (he’s such a cool guy),as a physics student this was intriguing for me, And although my watch didn’t win (like we usually do), I still enjoyed myself to the fullest which kept everyone in good spirits even in the final stretch of our journey.
Finally leading on to the usual finish to the day, poker, God bless Iyad for bringing poker chips onto the ship because if not it might have been the dullest experience EVER, it really brings everyone round the table to enjoy the final hours of the day before bedtime. I don’t think anyone has ever left unhappy but that’s all from me.
01/07/25
Day 10 Alongside at Dunstaffnage Marina, Oban
Fatima Mohamed Fore Watch Number 7
We started the day with an hour and a half of “happy hour”, which of course stood for a deep cleaning the entire ship.
After happy hour, our entire cohort, excluding watch leaders and all of the permanent crew, headed over to SAMS the Scottish Association of Marine Science. Our first lecturer spoke on the physics of tide movements and how birds responded to that path. That quickly turned into a guessing game of which bird was which. Our group was then split into two, my group were led to the oldest and most varied collection of algae. Evie, the director of the collection toured us around the different algae and even allowed us to look at some microalgae through a microscope. She explained the way algae needed to be kept in clean cultures with nutrients specific to each alga and how they kept the microbiomes of the algae in the cultures. Evie also spoke on the importance of algae as a primary food source as well as its massive production of oxygen. After swapping with the other group we watched Petra’s presentation of marine robotic gliders. The gliders consisted of a cylindrical vessel with wings and a radar on the outside, a battery on the inside, and a piston that filled a bladder with water that allowed the glider to move up and down in the water.
We afterwards got to each fly drones (my favourite part), after a talk on the advancement of drones in scientific recording and the difference in types of drones, I didn’t know how to draw a drone. After waiting in line for an ice-cream which we never got to buy, we headed into the next lecture on arctic research. The lecturer spoke on the different types of research in the arctic, ice, sediment, and water. She told us about the differences between research facility and vessel. We also got to hear about the close encounters the researchers had had with polar bears.
Afterwards, we left SAMS with sadly no ice-cream but a buzz over the new things we had learnt. As it was our final evening onboard we were instructed to start packing over the meal sittings and that was swiftly followed by the Captain’s ’Wash-up’; a debrief over the voyage- where we had been, the weather, the highs and of course the lows (sea sickness). This was then followed by an awards ceremony complied of some fun categories and some serious categories- I won the ‘most curious’ award for my interest in all aspects of life onboard. We were then given 15 minutes to perfect our watches ‘SODs Opera’ entries- The Ships Operatic and Drama Society- each watch had to perform a sketch, poem or song of their choice to the Ships crew aiming to win valuable points for the inter-watch competition. All three watches provided a comical performance however, it was Main watch who stole the show and all of the points to add to their total- alas, it was not enough as Mizzen watch stole the inter-watch competition crown! We had all really loved this dynamic throughout the voyage. A more relaxed bedtime paved the way for more packing, card games and the opportunity to reminisce about our time onboard the wonderful ships Pelican.
Charlotte Braungardt PhD, Head of Science at Pelican of London completed a blog post about some insights from the science during the NLA voyage.