Three students from a Burntwood school have helped sail a tall ship under London’s Tower Bridge.
Seventeen-year-olds Oliver Sharma, Sarah Asplin and Chloe Harrison-Hurd from Erasmus Darwin Academy (formerly Chasetown Specialist Sports College) were manning the yards of the Stavros S Niarchos as part of the Tall Ships Youth Trust Voyage of Achievement.
They were among a crew of 48 students from 24 schools from across England who set sail from Newcastle ten days ago on a voyage which took them to Leith in Scotland and the Dutch port of Scheveningen before their arrival in London.
During the trip they worked in teams to scale the ship’s masts, scrubbed decks, kept watch and practiced man overboard and other safety drills around the clock.
Oliver said:
“It was an amazing experience that I would definitely recommend to others. Seeing the distance that we travelled over the voyage and that I contributed to is very satisfying to me.”
Sarah added:
“It was enjoyable, challenging and fun. Climbing up to the top of the mast was my proudest moment.”
The Stavros S Niarchos is a 60-metre steel hulled, two-masted, square-rigged brig, dedicated to youth work at sea for 14 to 25 year olds. The vessel’s 18 sails have a sail area equivalent to the size of four tennis courts and she carries nearly nine miles of wire and rope.
Chloe said:
“It’s been an amazing experience, really challenging and I’ve met some amazing people – it was certainly a once in a lifetime experience. This was completely different to anything I have done before and I am very proud of my achievements and teamwork skills.”
