While onboard the Spirit of New Zealand you will follow a daily routine. A typical day onboard involves:
- 6am - warm up & swim in the sea (even in winter)
- Breakfast
- Watches (teams)
- Cleaning stations (all have cleaning duties)
- 8am - day plan (timetable for the day)
- Set sail
- Morning tea
- Anchor about 3pm
- Afternoon tea
- Ashore / activities
- 6.00pm - dinner
- Activities onboard / night sail
When the ship is ship-shape the real day starts. Anchors up, sails up and away.
Activities
Being a square rig means someone has to go up the mast and untie the sails – 30 meters up! This is a popular and challenging activity for all students.
During the day there are mini lectures on topics such as deck knots and sailing.
Sails are used whenever possible and usually at about 3pm, the ship is anchored somewhere, the sail is tidied up for the night.
Students then either go ashore or have small boat activities – these nearly always end up with everyone in the water.
During the voyage there is usually one night of sailing and for the other nights there are competitions and games (every night is full).
Students then have night watch instruction and stand the night watch in two-hour shifts in pairs.
Roles onboard
The ship has
- a full time Master (or Captain)
- three Mates
- an Engineer
- a Cook
- up to six Volunteers which include four Watch Assistants (volunteer crew) and two Leading Hands.
- students are organised into watches by their school.
