The Crew

The Crew of World Voyage 5

Captain Daniel Moreland: Post: Master

Read Captain Moreland's complete bio.
Mike Moreland: Post: Chief Mate

Hometown: Portland, Oregon, USA

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Spending time with family in Oregon -skiing and visiting friends.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To progress my skills in seamanship and gain more experience.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Sailing with a great group of people on a beautiful square-rigger and training a new crew.

My dream job: Weather Man.

My secret to the good life: Keeping an open mind.
Christian (Swiss Chriss) Barmettler: Post: Engineer

Hometown: Ziefen, Switzerland

Age: 28

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Sailing.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Great spirit and lovely two stroke engine.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: meeting lots of different cultures.

Previously undisclosed passion: none of your business.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing: "Ocean swell brings you to sleep."

My dream job: Living it.

My secret to the good life: Keep smiling and the world smiles back to you.
Maggie Ostler: Post: Purser leg 1, Voyage Co-ordinator

Hometown: Brampton, Ontario, Canada and Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 33

What I was doing before I joined the ship: I've been with the Picton Castle for five years, including sailing around the world as a trainee, sailing the Great Lakes and the Caribbean as the Purser and three years ashore as the Voyage Co-ordinator. Before that I worked in summer camps and outdoor education.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Fun, adventure, travel, the ocean, new skills and new friends.

What I am looking forward to the most on the voyage: Making new ship memories with a new crew. Trade winds, watching for the green flash, visiting friends in ports around the world, living simply and experiencing one again first-hand what it is that I spend most of my time thinking about and working on.

Previously undisclosed talent: I'm currently reading "Haircutting for Dummies" and have my first victim...er, customer...lined up. I hope I'm talented enough (and so does he).

My dream job: I am incredibly fortunate to have two dream jobs and I get to do them both aboard and ashore!

My secret to the good life: I think the secret is to do what you love and surround yourself with great people (hello friends and family, and thanks!)
Paul "Jet" Bracken: Post: Second Mate

Hometown: Barrington, RI, USA

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Building houses, hanging with the family, fishing and logging.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: For the money...

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Seeing the Pacific

Previously undisclosed passion: Fishing

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"The Sea doesn't care about you."

"All Men are equal – before fish." -Herbert Hover

My dream job: I've got it.

My secret to the good life: Don't work a job you don't love.
Bronwen Livingston: Post: Purser leg 2, 3 & 4, Voyage Coordinator

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec and Kingsport, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 29

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working as the Voyage Coordinator for the Picton Castle in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I found it impossible to consider passing up an opportunity this incredible

What I am looking forward to the most on the voyage: Sailing with my brother once more; working with the crew; standing lookout; watching the stars shift as we sail; learning the histories and the stories and the traditions of the islands and countries we visit; growing in ways I cannot begin to imagine yet; learning as much as I possibly can

Previously undisclosed passions: Community development and renewal; writing self-assigned essays; dancing in the street

Previously undisclosed talents: People watching and writing incredibly bad poetry based on my observations; getting lost and enjoying every minute of it

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"On shore everything is different from what Jack Tar expected. He has had the experience a hundred times, but he always has it again. The crowds do not give companionship. Everything is too much in a hurry, What people talk about does not interest him. He is out of touch with things. Besides, people do not sit and talk except for a little while. Someone always interrupts, or people grow impatient and go away, too much in a hurry. Jack Tar misses the usual hour for intimate conversation, on watch at night, the sea heaves slowly. The stars are bright above. The ship follows her course. Conversation is never interrupted by outsiders, and you can talk as long as the watch lasts.”

-Lowell Thomas from Count Luckner, The Sea Devil

My dream job: I do believe I have it now.

My secret to the good life: Never be afraid to be who you are, and never be afraid to look in the 'mirror' -truly see yourself-and try to change the things you don't like
Rebecca Libby: Post: Third Mate

Hometown: Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 29

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Healing the world (as a physiotherapist).

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn traditional seamanship skills while sailing to remote, beautiful places with amazing friends.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Night-watch, phosphorescence, sunsets, trade winds, workshops, marlinspikes, Donald's cooking, the South Pacific, South Africa, swim calls, tarred clothes, and setting stunsils.

Previously undisclosed passion: Wine tasting, sushi and square-rigged sailors (I mean sailing!).

Previously undisclosed talent: I can sing better than Cher, but only in the shower.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

" Salt is the cure for all ills - sweat, tears or the sea."

My dream job: Working on the beautiful Barque Picton Castle.

My secret to the good life: Do what you like, like what you do.
Donald Church: Post: Cook

Hometown: St. Georges, Grenada

Age: 50

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Just having fun at home in every way.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To go around the world.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: To go to places I have never seen before and meet all the nice ladies.

Previously undisclosed passion: Loving people all over the world.

Previously undisclosed talent: Dancing with the ladies.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Let's do it together we are one family."

My dream job: Is to have my own galley doing my thing.

My secret to the good life: No smoking, eating good, having plenty of sleep.
WT Simmons: Post: Bosun

Hometown: Smithvile, Ontario, Canada

Age: 59

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Sailing tall ships and visiting faraway lands.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To be a part of a wonderful crew on an epic voyage.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Teaching others what I know and learning from others.

Previously undisclosed passion: I am what I am and my passions are obvious.

Previously undisclosed talent: My talents are all known.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"All important knots and work connected to ropes belongs to sailors, and the fo'c's'l was the best possible school." -Sam Svensson

My dream job: Bosun of a tall ship.

My secret to the good life: Eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow you may die. All the while remembering Newton's Law.
Katelinn Shaw: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: Ashland, Oregon, USA

Age: 23

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working aboard the tall ship Tole Mour.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: It is my dream to sail around the world.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The challenge. Learning as much as possible. Working with amazing people. Sailing. Stars in the Southern Hemisphere. Feeling alive!

Previously undisclosed passion: Dancing when no one is looking.

Previously undisclosed talent: Undaunted optimism.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"I've sailed the world over for decades or more/and oft times I wonder what I do it for/I don't know the answer, it's pleasure and pain/but with life to live over I'd do it again."

My dream job: One where I make a difference and wake up smiling.

My secret to the good life: Know that life is SPECTACULAR!
Meredith McKinnon: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Age: 22

What I was doing before I joined the ship: In College studying Marine Navigation.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Because I love sailing Tall Ships and Picton Castle is one of the best!

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The people and the feeling you get when you wake up every day surrounded by the ocean.

Previously undisclosed passion: Languages.

Previously undisclosed tale: I've tried to disclose talents in the past, but I've been told to keep looking for one.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Runaway slaves unite, for further instructions follow your heart."

"The course of history has often been changed by a change of wind."

My dream job: ...this is it! Seriously.

My secret to the good life: Give anything new two weeks before you make any rash decisions. New can be scary, but giving it time can change your life forever.
Siri Botnen: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: Mosjoen, Norway

Age: 24

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Steaming eastbound around the world, loaded with 40,000 tons of molasses and coconut oil.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To follow the wind westbound and learn the real way of a tall ship and old school sailing.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Stargazing, swim calls, and crossing the equator with Pollywogs.

Previously undisclosed passion: Pirate tongue and naughty stories.

Previously undisclosed talent: Ski jumping in one piece.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Do you realize that the Barques you inherited are the last big sailing ships in the world? They weren't just the last, they were also the most beautiful and the final vestiges of an entire era. With their thin summer sails set, they'd ply the north-east trade wind right across the Atlantic to the West Indies to fetch dyer's broom. Every sailor, just once in his lifetime, had to experience what it was like to stand under those towering white sailcloth's, with the trade wind behind him and the hot sun above, or to sit on the yardarm of the main sixty feet above the deck, king of the whole world. " We, the drowned by Carsten Jensen

My dream job: I got it.

My secret to the good life: Live today, not for tomorrow. Sometimes it takes a fool to remain sane.
Logan Livingston: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: Kingsport, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Sailing New York on the Hudson river sloop Clearwater and Penobscot Bay on the Victory Chimes.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To continue my training as a Mariner-sail deep ocean once again.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Night watch, blue waters, riggin', hangin' out wif me mates (at Mitchell's), workin' wif me mates on da ship.

Previously undisclosed passion: Creating murals of last week's runway fashions out of beach glass and snail shells.

Previously undisclosed talent: Turning glass and shell murals into pint glasses and my sweat into cold beer.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Break, break, break, oh thy cold grey stones, o sea! And I would that my tongue could utter the thoughts that arise in me."-Alfred Lord Tennyson

My dream job: Working on the Picton Castle...

My secret to the good life: ...think I may have found it.
Paula Washington: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Age: 21

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Going to University at Dalhousie.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: University wasn't working out. I wanted to get back into working on Tall Ships.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Indian Ocean passage and Panama Canal.

Previously undisclosed passion: Organizing and handing out books; millions of them.

Previously undisclosed talent: Getting really, really lost ashore.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"I must go down to the seas again/ for the call of the running tide/Is a wild call and a clear call that may/not be denied."

My dream job: Sailing.

My secret to the good life: It's the simple things, it's the small things.
Sophie Martel: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: Arichat, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Sailing and learning about sailing on a hot schooner. Wanting to go sailing.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To go sailing, silly.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: I would like to see a blue footed bird in the Galapagos. And sailing...warm winds and blue water!

Previously undisclosed passion: Yeah right, like I am telling.

Previously undisclosed talent: See above.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Maybe tomorrow I'll want to settle down, until tomorrow the whole world is my home." Yeah that's not about the sea, it's from the Littlest Hobo-but it works!

My dream job: uh...sailor? Roving sea-gypsy.

My secret to the good life: No secrets. Keep it simple.
Nadja Nitschke: Post: Deckhand

Hometown: San Lorenzo-Mallarca, Spain

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Enkhuizes Zeevaart School-Maritime Academy and sailing, sailing, sailing.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Best people, best training program, greatest moral. I love the ship like it was my own!

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Sailing every inch around the world, dance everywhere around the world, laugh with new friends all around the world.

Previously undisclosed talent: I love gummies also when they're not from Europe. Even 12 months old.

Previously undisclosed talent: I can eat ice-cream at anytime of the day or night in any amount. I am always open for new challenges. I love training new people!

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"The Square-rigger is the most effective tool for sail training. The crew must learn a great deal of seamanship and teamwork just to get the ship under way. Virtually all trainees who make a trip on board such a vessel come away with skills they never even knew they were there to learn. What they learn has perhaps more to do with developing self-confidence and mutual confidence, learning to believe in one's ability to do something difficult and learning to rely on others to do their part, so that the entire evolution can be accomplished safely and efficiently."

My dream job: I got it!

My secret to the good life: Love what you do and do what you love! Enjoy every moment!
Chibley (Chibs, Bits): Post: RCO - Chief Rodent Control Officer and Boss of Picton Castle

Hometown: I hail from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, but my home will always be the Barque Picton Castle

Age: None of your business - I am without 'age' - Meow very much!

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Cleaning my paws...

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Captain Daniel Moreland... 52 comfortable bunks to sleep in... 52 loving crew members... 2 grandmothers... thousands of fans all over the world... celebrity.... fame... treats... see the world... keep these rascals in line

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Setting a record for the first feline to sail around the world five times... seeing the world through older, wiser eyes... Donald's cooking... flying fish... seeing old friends on docks the world over... meow...

Previously undisclosed talents: Catching flying fish with one paw, staying dry on deck and wake-ups. Meow!

Previously undisclosed passion: Giving Mr. Mate fishy presents... getting my belly rubbed by Lauren... peanut butter in Ollie's beard...

Dream Job: Chief Rodent Control Officer! Meow!

Secret to the good life: Demand attention and then act aloof... meow!
Krista Watson: Post: Medical Officer (leg 1-Nova Scotia to Panama)

Hometown: Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia

Dr. K.P. Watson CCFP(EM) spent her formative years in the wake of her veterinarian father, visiting farms, watching post-mortems, and sewing up the family dog. She briefly rebelled by pursuing a BA(Hons) in Political Science and English at the University if King's College and running away to sea aboard the schooner Bluenose II, where she discovered an unexpected love of sailing, and the Third Mate. After landing back on the feet she'd been swept off of, Krista received her MD from Dalhousie University, married the sailor, and completed her residency in Family & Emergency Medicine through Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Krista and her husband now live in Mahone Bay with their two children.
Gary Samson: Post: Medical Officer (Leg 1-Panama to Rarotonga)

Gary Samson DDS was worn and raised in Cape Breton in a large family (9 children) and married a wonderful lady who is one of 12 siblings. Graduated from Dalhousie Dental school in 1979 and got married the same week. A busy week indeed leading to the birth of 2 sons. Was fortunate in sailing 9 months on the Picton Castle's Atlantic Voyage. Enjoys organizing 3rd World medical expeditions into non-serviced areas. Very excited and honoured to be sailing on the Picton Castle again.
Robert Hoffman: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Berlin, Germany

Age: 27

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working, study, prepared the next study.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To grow as a blue water seafarer, I would like an attitude like a zen warrior, to sailing by the old way.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: To see the south sea, to earn my tattooed anchor, meet people and cultures.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Yet a sailor's life is at best but a mixture of a little good with much evil, and a little pleasure with much pain." R.H Dana

My dream job: Archaeologist and lecturer at a University.
Michael Zachman: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Albertville, Minnesota, USA

Age: 30

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Rock Climbing wall construction.

My dream job: Small farm.

My secret to the good life: A good night's rest.
Joani Cain: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Bremerton, Washington, USA

Age: 55

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Inventor/Business Analyst for a small aluminum boat manufacturer.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Wanted to sail around the world on a tall ship.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Seeing how many shades of blue there are between the sea and sky; hearing the sounds of the rigging and water under sail; what it feels like to see land after being out to sea for weeks.

Previously undisclosed tale: I wish I had talent.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"... I lay on the bowsprit, facing astern, with the water foaming into spume under me, the masts with every sail white in the moonlight, towering high above me. I became drunk with the beauty and the singing rhythm of it, and for a moment I lost myself--actually lost my life. I was set free! I dissolved in the sea, became white sails and flying spray, became beauty and rhythm, became moonlight and the ship and the high dim-starred sky! I belonged, without past or future, within peace and unity and a wild joy..." -from Long Day's Journey Into Night by Eugene O'Neil

My dream job: Still trying to figure that out.

My secret to the good life: Pay attention to things that cross your path because they are there for a reason.
Clark Munro: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Sequim, Washington State, USA

Age: 41

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Teaching school in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I wanted to expand my maritime knowledge beyond the books that I have read. I need to understand the day to day operations of sailing a square-rigger.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Visiting the places I have read about.

My dream job: To develop my interests so that they can develop into many opportunities.

My secret to the good life: Love what you do; after that you will never work another day in your life.
William Oliver (Ollie) Campbell: Hometown: Charlottesville, VA, USA

Age: 50 and gaining

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Before I was sailing I was sinking, and before that I was drifting. Now I'm making way.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I was sinking, she sailed by.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The people, the places, the freedom. The rust-busting. I look forward to Chibley falling in love with me again. But I have no expectations. But lots of kitty-snacks.

Previously undisclosed passion: I am a very guarded and private person, not very outgoing. It's difficult for me to talk about these things but I will try. Um, gosh, I am passionate about. Herradura Anejo. Tequila. There, I said it.

Previously undisclosed talent: Honestly, that would have to be procrastination. In all this world there are two kinds of people: those who finish what they start and, um, so on.

Favorite quotes about the sea or sailing: A mustachioed Lebanese fellow once said: 'But let there be spaces in your togetherness and let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.'

My dream job: I am working my dream job even as I type: To be an employed actor in the city of my dreams, Vancouver, BC, Canada, and to have a batch of friends sailing around the world, and the time to sail with them.

My secret to the good life: A very merry guy with a big belly is supposed to have said: 'The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.' But the real secret in, my opinion (and in my case), is luck.
Mike Mitchell: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Age: 41

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Wage Slave.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To see the world (without airplanes or airports) .

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Pitcairn Island, Panama is a close second.

Previously undisclosed passion: Remembering that life is not about having a nice house, car and material things plus a job to pay for it.

Previously undisclosed talent: Yes!

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"A boat is a hole in the water into which one pours money."

My dream job: Job? I have no intention of thinking about employment for the next 14 months.

My secret to the good life: Taking a big bite of life. More please!
Michael (Fred) Weiss: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA

Age: 24

What I was doing before I joined the ship: I own, manage, and maintain a small apartment building in Scranton.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: 1) It's pretty badass 2) I've always wanted to go to sea 3) I love hard work.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Climbing to the top of the rigging and looking out for miles to the horizon.

Previously undisclosed passion: I love to bicycle up huge mountains.

Previously undisclosed talent: I bicycle up huge mountains.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"A calm sea does not make a skilled sailor." I got this in a fortune cookie years ago and saved it.

My dream job: To be a learned rabbi.

My secret to the good life: Work hard and relax harder.
Dan Rutherford: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Ridgeway, Ontario, Canada

Age: 22

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Finishing school and traveling.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Looking for an adventure and this seemed way more exciting than becoming a garbage man.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Wearing plaid in South Africa and seeing what happens. I hope Sean isn't right.

Previously undisclosed passion: Procrastination.

Previously undisclosed talent: Uni-cycling.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"There are three ways to do things. The right way, the wrong way and the ships way."

My dream job: Helicopter Pilot/Beach Bum.

My secret to the good life: Live everyday like it's your last.
Jan Caselli: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Wijlre , Netherlands

Age: 48

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working in an insulating company .

Why I joined the Picton Castle: This is a childhood dream coming true.
Tammy Sharp: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada

Age: 41

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Living a life of leisure.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Sailing, traveling, adventure and fun.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The experience of sailing a tall ship to exotic ports of call.

Previously undisclosed passion: Singing.

Previously undisclosed tale: I can play the spoons.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Oh a sailors life is the life for me/How I love to sail on the bounding sea/And I never, ever, ever do a thing about the weather/Cuz the weather never ever does a thing for me." Alice in Wonderland

My dream job: To own a small high end resort on a beautiful tropical island. Or to work in a zoo.

My secret to the good life: Don't sweat the small stuff. Only you control your happiness. Breathe, dream, pray, love.
Adrienne Bode: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada

Age: 50

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working as a camp attendant in a construction camp north of Fort McMurray.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To fulfill a lifelong dream.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Making new friends, learning the ropes and going to places I probably would never have made it to.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"It's been a hell of day at sea, sir."

My dream job: Haven't found it yet, that's what I'm still searching.

My secret to the good life: Love like there is no tomorrow, sing like no one can hear you and dance like no one's watching.
Liam Taylor: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Barcelona, Spain

Age: Not old enough for some things, too old for others.

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Business consultant, Ghana, West Africa.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Always wanted to sail around the world.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning how to cope with the challenges we are going to face.

Previously undisclosed passion: Extreme ironing or underwater dog-sledding.

Previously undisclosed talent: Privy only to ex-girlfriends & select members of the MIS top Brass.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"No man will go to sea who can contrive himself put in jail, for going to sea is being in jail with the added chance of being drowned. In jail both the company and the food are likely to be better."

My dream job: If I knew that, I'd be doing it!

My secret to the good life: Don't worry, everything will be fine!
Leonard Weaver: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Age: 48

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Running my little plumbing company, and living a well balanced life with love, work, play and connectedness.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Because doing any other thing at this time seemed inconceivable.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Gaining a deep sense of people and place everywhere we go...That and a couple of tattoos.

Previously undisclosed passion: Witnessing growth in the people around me.

Previously undisclosed talent: Being quiet.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"A man who would go to sea by choice would go to hell for recreation."- Samuel Johnson

My dream job: Being paid to sing.

My secret to the good life: Letting go of those thoughts, things, or feeling which do not serve me.
Dave Farrall: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Age: 20

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Sailing STV Fair Jeanne.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn as much as possible, get as much square-rigged sailing experience as possible.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Sailing in the tropics.

Previously undisclosed passion: Sailing, snowboarding, Frisbee.

Previously undisclosed talent: Humming and whistling at the same time. Or Frisbee.

My dream job: Tall Ship sailor.
David 'Horatio' Laing: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Umdloti, Durban, South Africa

Age: 20

What I was doing before I joined the ship: CLASSIFIED

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn how to sail tall ships, travel experience, new adventures and girls.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Anything and everything, a funky good time!

Previously undisclosed passion: Music...house music.

Previously undisclosed talent: Hmmm...ladies man.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"I take what I want and I want what I take."

My dream job: Getting paid to do what I love.

My secret to the good life: I can't tell you!
Johanna Aase: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Hometown: Oslo, Norway

Age: 19

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Volunteering in Peru

What I joined the Picton Castle: Because it was the adventure of a lifetime.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Everything!

Previously undisclosed passion: Onesies and tuna sandwiches.

Previously undisclosed talent: Blanket dancing with Meredith and fitting into small spaces.

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

"Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can." -T.S. Elliot

My secret to the good life: Laughter
Nicholas Griffes: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Profile Coming Soon
Jonathan Ford: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Profile Coming Soon
Lauren Berdow: Post: Trainee (Whole Voyage)

Profile Coming Soon
Brad Woodworth: Post: Trainee (Legs 1, 2 & 3)

Hometown: Weston, Massachusetts, USA

Age: 24

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Trying to join the ship, sailing other tall ships, working a corporate job.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: See the world, get some blue water experience and find out what I want to do when I grow up.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning all I can about square rigging and the world. Learning just how small a place it really is.

Previously undisclosed passion: Transport systems

Previously undisclosed talent: Playing the bones.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"There is absolutely nothing so worth doing as messing about in boats." -Ratty from The Wind in the Willows

My dream job: Hopefully I know more when I get home.

My secret to the good life: "You always regret what you don't do more than you regret what you do."
Lorraine Kress: Post: Trainee (Legs 1, 2 & 3)

Hometown: El Paso, Texas, USA

Age: 52

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Thinking about joining the ship.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Because I wanted to go full circle.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning the ropes!

Previously undisclosed passion: Sailing on a tall ship.

Previously undisclosed talent: glass beading.

My dream job: Sponsor/support/donate to institutions such as the museum of Archaeology, Zoo, MD Anderson and things I deem worthy.

My secret to the good life: Take care of yourself.
Tiina Randoja: Post: Trainee (Legs 1, 2 & 3)

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Age: 49

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working for the office of the Auditor General of Ontario as editorial and communications coordinator.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To challenge myself and experience a completely different lifestyle, focused on teamwork.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Seeing if I can go aloft!- and then take it from there with working and learning the ways of tall ship sailing.

Previously undisclosed passion: I'm just not enough of a woman of mystery to have one.

Previously undisclosed tale: Ditto

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"The wood is tired and the wood is old/But we'll make it fine if the weather holds/But if the weather holds, we'll have missed the point/That's where I need to go." -Chorus of an Indigo Girls song

My dream job: Anything that includes the satisfaction of : 1. becoming really good at what I'm doing; 2. solving problems; 3.Helping others who want to learn to do the same.

My secret to the good life: 3 -point mantra. Life is good. Be here now. Let it go.
Shawn Anderson: Post: Trainee (Legs 1 & 2)

Hometown: Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada

Age: 23

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Paramedic.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To Learn to Sail.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Sailing to remote islands.

Previously undisclosed passion: Sneezing.

Previously undisclosed talent; Playing the Cowbell.

My dream job: I don't know what I want for breakfast, let alone dream job.

My secret to the good life: 70/30
Alexandra Moore: Post: Trainee (Legs 1 & 2)

Hometown: Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 21

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Attending the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.
Jimmy Gordon: Post: Trainee (Legs 1 & 2)

Hometown: Ramsey, Isle of Man, Great Britain

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Hardened member of the London rat-race.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Time out from career to challenge myself with a completely new skill and see more of the world.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Being aloft and sighting Pitcairn Island.

Previously undisclosed passion: Adventure Cycling.

My dream job: Travel writer.

My secret to the good life: Better to be missed by loved ones than to be missed by an opportunity.
Georgina Lockwood: Post: Trainee (Legs 1 & 2)

Hometown: Johannesburg, South Africa

Age: 18

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working on a polo farm in Plett

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Adventure!

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The places we will visit, the friends I will make and to learn how to sail.

Previously undisclosed passion: Sudoku while dancing with Ting.

Previously undisclosed talent: Endurance horse riding.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Weiss meat sandwich with lady bread. Sailing."

My dream job: Ice cream taster.

My secret to the good life: Laughter.
Cheri Davidson: Post: Trainee (Legs 1 & 2)

Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Age: 30

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning about the ship and being part of a fantastic team, the long sea passages and having fun in port.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the things you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain
Roselyne Dekker: Post: Trainee (Legs 1 & 2)

Hometown: Bergan, Netherlands

Age: 52

What I was doing before I joined the ship: I was working on my farm and working for the Postal Service in Holland

Why I joined the Picton Castle: My grandfather was always talking about square-rigged sailing because he did that as a young man and I was curious about that way of life.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: To sail around the world and as a bonus to visit beautiful places

Previously undisclosed talent: Maybe somebody else can tell me

Previously undisclosed passion: Traveling around the world

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing: "Never too old to learn."

My dream job: In another life I would love to be reincarnated as an endangered species because then you can do anything you want to do and you are protected and looked after.

Secret to the good life: Enjoy life the way you want to enjoy it
Michael Jehle: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: Fairfield, CT, USA

Age: 47

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Executive Director of the Fairfield Museum and History Center. Former marinero.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To sail in a beautiful part of the world, with great shipmates and a stellar captain.and to reconnect with the important things in life; adventure, friendship and the sea.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Being at the helm and watching the sunrise creep down from the royals as the Pacific rolls beneath me.

Previously undisclosed passion: Polynesian art

Previously undisclosed talent: My few talents have all been fully exploited

Favorite quotes about the sea or sailing:Whenever I find myself growing grim about the mouth; whenever it is a damp, drizzly November in my soul; whenever I find myself involuntarily pausing before coffin warehouses, and bringing up the rear of every funeral I meet; and especially whenever my hypos get such an upper hand of me, that it requires a strong moral principle to prevent me from deliberately stepping into the street, and methodically knocking people's hats off - then, I account it high time to get to sea as soon as I can. This is my substitute for pistol and ball. With a philosophical flourish Cato throws himself upon his sword; I quietly take to the ship.--Melville, Moby Dick

My dream job: To be a gentleman farmer, with time out to go to sea

My secret to the good life: Laughter, slowing down and letting go.
Nicholas Bestbier: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: Cape Town, South Africa

Age: 19

What I was doing before I joined the ship: I finished high school, then joined the Picton Castle for part of the Atlantic Voyage in December 08 and I have been here since.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To grow as a person and experience life at sea.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Being warm again after a Canadian winter.

Previously undisclosed passions: Stand up comedy, storytelling, climbing and the 'meow' game

Previously undisclosed talent: Making Bronwen laugh.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"One ship sails east and another sails west/with the self-same winds that blow/Tis the set of the sail and not the gale/which determines the way they go/As the winds of the sea are the ways of fate/As we voyage along through life/Tis the act of the soul that determines the goal/and not the calm or the strife." -Ella Wheeler Wilcox

My dream job: Not sure, I guess that is why I am here.

My secret to the good life: Happiness is a choice.
Alison Phillips: Post: Trainee (Leg 2)

Hometown: I really have two... I am so lucky... one where I grew up in Truro, Nova Scotia and one where I live now in Hazelton, British Columbia, Canada

Age: 36

What was I doing before I joined the ship: Playing in the great outdoors, my playground of lakes, rivers, and the Coastal Mountains around Hazelton; hanging out with friends, family, and my ol’ dog, Poe; jamming around campfires; growing a garden (trying to, that is); working as a community occupational therapist visiting people of all ages, from newborns to elders, in their homes, all the while being honoured with learning people’s life stories

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I’ve grown up in Nova Scotia as a landlubber gazing out at the endless horizon from the beach with my feet snugly dug into the sand….wondering what was beyond that line formed between the ocean and the sky. It’s time to explore what’s out there beyond the horizon and learn how to get there. It’s time to rock the boat, baby!

What am I looking forward to most on the voyage: The opportunity to learn the ancient art of sailing, to work hard as crew, to find my sea legs. The opportunity to visit that amazing landscape known as the ocean, not to mention the islands, and learn from those who make their home there. To have the fortune of experiencing places where it still feels like humans are the visitors and the wind, water, air, sun, moon, stars and marine life are the local residents.

Previously undisclosed passion: Making and eating good food; sharing said food with great family and friends…all while drinking good wine (sometimes the wine even makes it into good food); watching quirky movies; time shared playing in the great outdoors; my family and getting to share moments with them. Travel that enables you to explore new geographies and new ways. Okay, and olives, chocolate, any type of cheese, CBC radio, guacamole, lobster, bacon-wrapped scallops, Thai food. Making music and singing harmonies with others.

Previously undisclosed talent: I can hang onto one foot and jump through with the other…and not fall over; you sing it, I can harmonize to it; I can almost do the loon call after a year’s practice, an in-depth tutorial from my nephew, and watching a YouTube video; I have mastered the ability to leave the longest voice mail messages as well as write the longest applications for experiences like sailing on a square-rigged barque.

My dream job: What I am doing now with the opportunity to take stints off to explore, adventure, and learn through volunteering, travel, and doing things like learning how to sail. It would be fascinating to have a turn at being a National Geographic photographer and journalist, or running a bakery/coffee shop/ used bookstore while creating pottery.

Secret to the Good Life: A good cup of coffee with heaps of cream every morning; seize opportunities for joyful experience, to be open to stretching what you are, to stretch your mindset, your views, to embrace change and exploration, explore places where nature is still wild; never take yourself too seriously; take time to play; be generous and open; listen to others stories and honour their inherent knowledge and wisdom, learn from those around you; sing and dance even if it’s just when you’re doing the dishes; grow a garden; own a dog; live with connection – connection to family, friends, community, place, geography, the natural world around us; eat chocolate; sip whiskey often and sip it slowly.

Favourite Sailing Quote: As I shared my plans for this endeavour with my friends, a particularly astute friend with a dry sense of humour exclaimed “Sailing, I think the wind has something to do with it." Here’s another one for you: “20 years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off your bowline. Sail away from the safe harbor.” – Mark Twain
Kate Addison: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: Bristol, Great Britain

Age: 26

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working for the man.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To sail the wide accountantsea.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Lunch.

Previously undisclosed passion: Classical dressage with Spanish horses.

Previously undisclosed tale: aerial acrobatics.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Yachting is like standing in a cold shower wearing roller skates, unthreading and rethreading the shower curtain while your wife flushes fifty pound notes down the toilet."

My dream job: If I knew that...

My secret to the good life: Stick a gin in it.
Robert Murphy: Post: Trainee (Leg 2)

Hometown: London, UK

Age: 35
Joanna Clark: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)
Via Christensen: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: Copenhagen

Age: 45

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working as a communications officer in the public administration (And I will go back to my job when I come home).

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To Learn how to sail...the real way.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Being part of the working crew of a tall ship.

Previously undisclosed passion: My 13 year old daughter.

Previously undisclosed talent: I'm fluent in Italian.

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

"The desire to build a house is the desire of a man content thence forward with a single anchorage. The desire to build a boat is the desire of youth, unwilling yet to accept the idea of a final resting place." - A. Ransome

My dream job: Captain of a Vaporetto (Water Bus) in Venice

My secret to the good life: The ability to enjoy the beautiful details of life, instead of looking only at the whole, imperfect, and incomplete picture.
Nadia Vassos: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Age: 24

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Student.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I've wanted to do it for years.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Pitcairn.

Previously undisclosed passion: Dental hygiene.

Previously undisclosed talent: Speech writing.
Paulina Northover Brooks: Post: Trainee (Leg 2)

Hometown: Bermuda

Age: 55

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Coordinator Tall Ships Bermuda Limited

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To just about complete my circumnavigation of the world on a ship with very fond associations

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning from the crew, making new friends, being a good ship mate, sailing with old friends again, visiting new places, etc, etc

Previously undisclosed passion: Learning-I have so much to learn

Previously undisclosed talent: Working out ways of being able to sail on the Picton Castle and making it a part of my life and not instead of it

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

“The fishermen know that the sea is dangerous and the storm terrible, but they have never found these dangers sufficient reason for remaining ashore.”

My dream job: Sailing or working on private jets

My secret to the good life: Never be far from the sea
Julie Vermeer: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: St. Andres, N.S

Age: 18

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Participating in wild times with lumberjacks and Aggies at University.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn about traditional seafaring and my shipmates, the places we visit and myself.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning as much as possible and having fun.

Previously undisclosed passion: Horseback riding and dog training.

Previously undisclosed talent: Certified tractor driver.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."-Mark Twain

My secret to the good life: Live jolly, laugh often, love always.
Francoise "Frankie" Desoutter: Post: Trainee (leg 2)

Hometown: Anahola, Hawaii

Age: 42

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Bribing tourists to listen to timeshare presentations

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I needed a new direction. Sailing West sounded great

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The ocean...lots of it

Previously undisclosed passion: Sailing around the world under the instruction of someone that has done it a few times successfully already.

Previously undisclosed talent: Docking a boat

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing: “Undalay” -Karina Ostergaard

My dream job: Anything you love to do is ruined as soon as you call it a job. Don't call it a job then. I am in my dream.

My secret to the good life: Hammock time!!
Megan Mulcahy: Post: Trainee (Leg 2)

Hometown: Middle of nowhere in the West of Ireland

Age: 17

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Stressing over high school finishing exams and cannon-bailing off piers

Why I joined the Picton Castle: It has been a dream and near obsession since the age of nine

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Adventure, going aloft and Donald's famous cooking

Previously undisclosed passion: Nuclear and particle physics and two hand dingy racing

Dream job: Either going on to get my AB and working as crew on tallships or working as a a particle physicist on the large hadron collidor at CERN

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

“All the wonderful bright colours went out of the sea and sky in a few minutes, and all of the Heavens seemed to shine out together, and to look down at themselves in the sea, over one another's shoulders, millions deep.” -Charles Dickens

“NOW we're sailing!”-Aibhe Ryan

Secret to the good life: Take each day as it comes, live for music and to laugh, Barry's Tea and Hakuna Matata
Katie Koster: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: East Alstead

Age: 35

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Enjoying the South Island, NZ.

Previously undisclosed passion: Freshly baked cinnamon rolls.

My dream job: Retirement .

My secret to the good life: Ability to laugh at myself.
Meredith Spratt: Post: Trainee (Leg 1)

Hometown: Old Lyme Connecticut, USA

Age: 22

What I was doing before I joined the ship: I was studying at the University of Miami.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Adventure of a lifetime and I want to go sailing.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Galapagos and Tahiti.

Previously undisclosed passion: Coffee and long johns.

Previously undisclosed talent: Blanket dancing with Johanna and fitting into small spaces.

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"Call me Ishmael."

My secret to the good life: Keep smiling.
Victoria "Vicky" Adams: Post: Medical Officer (Legs 2, 3 & 4)

Hometown: Brandiston, Norfolk, UK

Age: 29

I've been practicing as a Doctor for four years and am in training to become and acute physician. I went to University of London during which time I spent three months working in a hospital in India, playing various sports and travelling as much as I could-with a bit of studying in between! I then worked in London for 2 years, rotating around different specialities including six months in the accident and emergency department. The last 2 years have been spent in Northampton where I have continued my training in acute medicine and have rotated through anaesthetics, intensive care, acute medicine and accident and emergency.

During a trip to Belize when I was 19 I met expedition medics and thought it sounded like an excellent idea for the future. I heard about the Picton Castle through a friend who was part of the Voyage of the Atlantic crew. After hearing her experiences and visiting the Picton Castle I knew that this was the adventure for me.
David Brown: Post: Trainee (Leg 1/2)

Hometown: Adamstown, Pitcairn Island

Age: 23

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Living the good life

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Because it's full of awesome people

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Seeing new places for the first time

Previously undisclosed passion: I love to dance

Previously undisclosed talent: Making people laugh

My dream job: Not sure yet
Taia Marsters: Post: Trainee (Leg 2)

Hometown: Palmerston Atoll, Cook Islands

Age: 19

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Teaching the male crew how to dance - and it was not easy!

Why I joined the Picton Castle: It was a seven year dream and they were desperately in need of a dancing teacher

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Waking up the crew for their watch

Previously undisclosed passion: Exploring places near and far

Previously undisclosed talent: Singing harmonies while playing the ukelele

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing:

"We had, as I understand it, by sailing our ships, taken a step back into a primitive world, a world where spiritual peace reigned. We sailed our ship with the assistance of the elements, unlike the landsman, who in his everyday life is a victim of the capricious forces created and controlled by men." - Elis Karlsson, Mother Sea

My dream job: My father wants me to become a cop, my mother would like to see me as a nurse and I- I am still figuring it out!

My secret to the good life: "Smiling is infectious, you catch it like a flu. When someone smiled at me today, I started smiling too." - Taia Marsters. Never Give Up!
Susie Ordway: Post: Deckhand (Leg 3)

Hometown: Montpelier, Vermont, USA

Age: 24

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Taking time off, baking too many pies and enjoying a New England autumn.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Thost meat doughnuts that Donald makes.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Those meat doughnuts Donald makes!!

Previously undisclosed talent: Can wiggle nose.

Previously undisclosed passion: Salsa dance and canolies, oh and badmitten too!

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

"And then, suddenly, Harold remembered." Harold and the Purple Crayon

My dream job: Traditional Tongue Twister Tester teacher

Secret to the good life: Mint chocolate chip ice cream and those meat donoughts that Donald makes!
Abbey Stern: Post: Trainee (Legs 3 & 4)

Hometown: Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Age: 23

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Farming and being boring

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn how properly to sail, gain more experience and to be at sea in general

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Being in a position where I am surrounded by water with no land in sight and the point where everything becomes second nature

Previously undisclosed talent: I am an extremely satisfying flower arranger (but not in the Japanese style)

Previously undisclosed passion: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Favourite quotes about the sea or sailing: All of them

My dream job: Pretty much what I am doing now.

Secret to the good life: I'll tell you as soon as I figure it out.
Pania Warren: Post: Deckhand (Legs 3 & 4)

Hometown: Adamstown, Pitcairn Island and Petone, New Zealand

Age: :)

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Having fun being a pre-school teacher!

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Can't stay away really

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Catching up with old shipmates and making new ones!

Previously undisclosed talent: I can turn a frown upside down!

Previously undisclosed passion: Mermaid and Sea Monster Hunting

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

"It's 2-6, then you heave."

My dream job: First woman on Mars

Secret to the good life: Having a good laugh
Oddrun Irene Bo: Post: Deckhand (Leg 3)

Hometown: Bergen/Stavanger, Norway

Age: 33

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Sailing the tall ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To get new insights from another tall ship and meet new people

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: To be a part of the voyage and everything that will happen as we sail along.

Previously undisclosed talent: Looking

Previously undisclosed passion: Boxing the compass!

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

“Twenty years from now you will regret more the things you didn't do than the ones you did. So throw off the bowline! Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Dream, explore, discover!” -Mark Twain

My dream job: Continuing sailing and to explore the seven seas.

Secret to the good life: Good friends and family! And always challenge oneself to learn more.
Michael Stevens: Post: Deckhand (Leg 3)

Hometown: Rumford, RI, USA

Age: 50

What I was doing before I joined the ship: First Mate on Schooner Victory Chimes of Rockland, Maine

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To gain more knoweledge, more “deep water” time and to make peace with myself

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Sailing with my younger brother again

Previously undisclosed talent: Plate spinning

Previously undisclosed passion: Not for this forum

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

“All life came from the ocean...we all came from the water of the womb...the ebb and flow of the tide is alive in the ebb and flow of our breathing.”

My dream job: Been doing it ten years

Secret to the good life: One thing...Find the one thing you love and then live every moment, as if your life depended on it!
Suzanne Semanson: Post: Trainee (Leg 4)

Hometown: New York City, USA

Age: 30s

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Before the Picton Castle, I was travelling and volunteering in Vietnam and before that, dancing and working as a physical therapist in New York City.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I fell in love with the crew and ship upon meeting them in Rarotonga last August. Since then, the ship seems to have had a magnetic pull on me.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Lots: Crossing the Atlantic; seeing the night sky from the middle of the ocean; learning more than I could ever hope to otherwise; learn about seamanship and all that it entails.

Previously undisclosed talent: I have the unique ability to throw rocks with my toes. My aim isn’t too bad either.

Previously undisclosed passion: In addition all of my passions have also been disclosed – and I do have many passions. The Best is when you can combine them, like being a traveling-sailing-dancing-physiotherapist.

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing: I forgot, but it’s really good.

My dream job: Which is the job I left to travel and sail: Being a freelance dance medicine physical therapist in New York City which permits me to teach at the University, work in a clinic and work on dancers in Broadway.

Secret to the good life: It is so cliché, but simple and true: Do what you love and everything else manages to fall in place.
Cody Viereck: Post: Trainee (Leg 4)

Hometown: Bennington, VT, USA and Durango, CO, USA

Age: 24

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Not much

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Childhood dream

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Not sure/everything/seeing the world

Previously undisclosed talent: Piracy

Previously undisclosed passion: Piracy

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing: "Arrr Matey"

My dream job: El Presidente/rock star

Secret to the good life: Good music and friends
Petran Draat: Post: Medical Officer (Leg 4)

Hometown: Nyneen, Netherlands

Age: 59

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Enjoying life by taking care of two beautiful young daughters

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Because the Picton Castle needed an M.D. at once for crossing the ocean.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Enjoying sailing

Previously undisclosed talent: Being a houseman with a young family.

Secret to the good life: Life is short; enjoy every advantage
Bas Seesing: Post: Trainee (Leg 4)

Hometown: Weert, Netherlands

Age: 35

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working as a network engineer in a hospital.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn about and experience traditional sailing in it’s true form. Visiting lots of different cool places in the process is a bonus of course!

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Sailing in good weather in beautiful places

Previously undisclosed talent: Still searching for it

Previously undisclosed passion: Looking at the stars. There seem to be more out here than anywhere else!

My dream job: Helmsman on the Flying Dutchman

Secret to the good life: Make your dreams come true!
Wendy Heisler: Post: Trainee (Leg 4)

Hometown: Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, Canada and Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Age: 30

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Taking photos and blogging blogs and videoing videos, with an 8 month intermission of travel and being a bum. Let’s call this, “personal-reflection time.”

Why I joined the Picton Castle: Things I love: the ocean, ships, being on the ocean in ships, people on ships, things in the ocean, staring at the ocean off at people in ships, and being adventurous. Seemed like a natural choice. I’ve dreamed about sailing on the PC for years!

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: The unexpected, the challenges, seclusion from land AND the land we will be seeing, the people, the growth and the work. Also: breakfast.

Previously undisclosed talent: Hip Hop Karaoke enthusiast

Previously undisclosed passion: Sidewalk hottenannies, sneakers, hippy food and astrophysics (one of these things is not true).

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing: “I’m on a boat, (censored)!!”

My dream job: Music video director and/or Bond Girl

Secret to the good life: 1. Let it go 2. Jump 3. Frozen beverages
Daniel (Adam) Eden: Post: Trainee (Leg 4)

Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Age: 27

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Finishing my studies in civil engineering, couchsurfing in Europe, working in Ghana, and traveling in Southern Africa.

Why I joined the Picton Castle: I wanted to learn how to sail and to experience the seas. The Picton Castle offered by far the best way to do this.

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Challenging myself, gaining new skills, and experiencing unique moments in various parts of the world with my crewmates.

Previously undisclosed talents: Baking bread. You should try the coconut-chocolate loaf. I’m also really good at skating.

Previously undisclosed passion: Renewable energy.

My dream job: Working with a progressive company on introducing more renewable energy sources into the grid and into our households.

Secret to the good life: Don’t be scared to live, to make mistakes and to learn from them. Figure out how to combine what you are passionate about, what you are good at, and where there is a need in society.
Christine Wimmer: Post: Trainee (Leg 4)

Profile coming soon
Aase Johanna Huggler: Post: Deckhand (Leg 4)

Hometown: Copenhagen, Denmark

Age: 23

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Growing seeds in my sailor-friends bunk; wrapping all of her furniture in paper and putting strings from wall to wall, all over the room, so she would have something real nice to come home to after 4 months at sea!

Why I joined the Picton Castle: The Picton Castle is the best ship in the world

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Learning a lot of stuff about sailing tall ships. You can learn almost everything here.

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing: Aaargh

My dream job: Captain on the Schooner of Peter Pan

Secret to the good life: Smile, work and be as much Pippi Longstocking as possible
Raju Raman: Post: Medical Officer (Leg 4)

Hometown: None

Age: 29

What I was doing before I joined the ship: Working in emergency rooms around the UK

Why I joined the Picton Castle: To learn about the sea

What I am looking forward to most on the voyage: Climbing rainforest-covered mountains on Caribbean islands

Previously undisclosed talent: Ability to distinguish the song of the Blackcap from the Garden Warbler

Previously undisclosed passion: Climbing things, especially trees

Favourite quote about the sea or sailing:

Forse Qualcuno Potra

Chiamarmi Avventuiero

Fino Alla Fine Andro

Seguendo Il Moi Cammino

My dream job: Wandering Doctor

Secret to the good life: Smile