Michael Moreland, Young Sail Trainer of the Year
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Picton Castle Chief Mate Michael Moreland has recently been awarded Young Sail Trainer of the Year by Sail Training International. Both Michael and Second Mate Paul Bracken were in attendance at the Sail Training International annual conference in Istanbul, Turkey when the award was presented. This award is given annually to a professional sail trainer under 26 years old to encourage and recognize high-performing individuals who deliver sail training programs.
Michael has served as Picton Castle’s Chief Mate since March 2008, on the year-long voyage around the Atlantic Basin, as well as this summer’s voyage on the east coast of North America. Michael will continue on in this role on the ship’s upcoming world circumnavigation voyage, starting in May 2010.
Here are a few highlights from Michael’s nomination:
“Michael joined this ship as a 16 year old cadet in the summer of 2000 and
returned as a trainee for the Picton Castle’s third circumnavigation 2003-
2004. At the end of this voyage he immediately headed off to the Maine
Maritime Academy where I am told by his instructors… he excelled in every way. After graduating with distinction
from MMA Michael went to serve in the Brig Niagara, Schooner Amistad and
other vessels to advance his craft.
The Picton Castle just completed a remarkable 20,000 mile voyage around the
Atlantic including much of coastal Europe, West Africa, Brazil, West Indies,
New England and the Canadian Maritime provinces. For this voyage Michael was
originally signed up to be Second Mate but when the designated Chief Mate
had to back out for reasons at home at the last minute I asked Michael to
step up to the plate…
As an upcoming yet accomplished mariner, I have seen few Michaels equal. As
a small boat handler he is exceptional. As a calm, well organized leader he
is a pleasure to work with. As a sailing ship and sail training officer he
is dedicated to his craft. As a shipmate you could not ask for better.”
Congratulations, Michael, we’re all very proud of your accomplishments!
For more details, check out Sail Training International.














A native of Pictou, NS, Mary Anne joined the Picton Castle in November of 2006 where she signed on as a trainee for the entire winter sailing sail training schedule in the Caribbean. A retired nurse and the daughter of a professional seaman who also sailed extensively in commercial square-riggers out of Nova Scotia, Mary Anne came aboard prepared to learn the ropes of traditional square-rig sailing for herself. She has quickly become a favourite shipmate, caring for us better than we can care for ourselves and continually keeping us laughing with her playful sense of humour. She especially enjoys teasing Donald our cook. Mary Anne has traveled the world and accomplished a long list of adventures and she has decided that her next challenge is to climb a mountain in South America probably by this time next year.
Katie sailed in the Picton Castle for two weeks in the summer of 2006 from Chicago to Port Huron, with a stop in Beaver Island. Katie is a member of a seasonal sail racing team (she will rejoin them for a short time this summer) and like our shipmate Ben, she had originally signed up to attend Picton Castle’s Bosun School this winter. When the program was postponed we invited her to sail with us in the Caribbean, and without hesitation she left her home in chilly Chicago to join the ship in Dominica in February. She is adorned with countless eye-catching tattoos and therefore blends in nicely among the crew. To compliment her taste in body art, Katie is quickly honing her seafaring skills and in just these few short months she may have already convinced herself that there may not be life outside of the Picton Castle. When not playing in tar, Katie is a fantastically creative cook and is often nominated to take charge in the galley on Donald’s day off.
