Voyages

A voyage of contrasts, the South Seas Voyage will take us from the bustling harbour of Sydney, Australia for a tall ships festival to some of the most remote and untouched islands on the planet. Add in deep ocean passages, island hopping, and cultural experiences and you have the makings of the trip of a lifetime aboard the Picton Castle. 

Begin in August 2013 in Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, then sail for Australia, stopping in the Kingdom of Tonga and Norfolk Island on the way.  Meet up with a fleet of tall ships and navy ships in Sydney, then race with the tall ships to Auckland, New Zealand. 

Explore the islands of New Zealand before a month-long passage to storied Pitcairn Island, home of the descendants of the mutineers on the Bounty. Then island-hop your way through all the island groups of French Polynesia, discovering the hidden gems that are off the beaten path. 

Return briefly to the Cook Islands, then sail to Samoa and Fiji, where the voyage wraps up in May 2014. 

Although the islands are exotic and welcoming, this is primarily a sail training voyage, teaching trainee crew members traditional seamanship skills, and skills that enable them to work together to sail the ship. 

Sign on as a crew member for some or all of this adventurous voyage. No experience is necessary to become a trainee crew member, just a strong back and a willing heart. Men and women of all nationalities are welcome to apply.  

The charm, beauty and hospitality of the Cook Islands is legendary. Picton Castle will spend the months of June, July and August sailing the 2.2 million square kilometres that make up this nation of 15 small islands. 

We've been offered a rare and unique opportunity: to assist in the Cook Islands with transporting cargo and people between the islands. This service is greatly needed and we're happy to help.  

Trainee crew members will learn to sail the ship alongside our professional crew as we visit all 11 inhabited islands of the Cooks. With over 1,400 nautical miles from Rarotonga, the hub of the Cook Islands, to the Northern Group islands, there will be plenty of time under sail on this ocean-going square rigger. 

In port, the crew can expect the warm welcome Picton Castle crew have always received - friendly people, a cold coconut, maybe some dancing beneath the palm trees. The Cook Islands may be one of the last unspoiled pieces of tropical paradise. 

Aboard the ship, all crew members are involved in the daily routine of sailing. Take your turn at the helm, haul on lines to set and take in sails, climb aloft in the rigging (optional), stand watches, help the cook in the galley, watch the horizon for the green flash at sunset, be delighted by whales swimming by, become a part of the crew that earns their way from port to port. 

No experience is necessary to join the crew. Applications are now being accepted from men and women ages 16+ from around the world. 

Answer the irresistable call of the South Pacific.  Picton Castle has been doing it for years.  

Step aboard for an epic voyage starting in Lunenburg on October 1, 2012, bound for the South Pacific via the islands of the Eastern Caribbean and the Panama Canal.  On Picton Castle, you're part of the crew that sails the ship, learning as you go from our qualified professional crew.  No sailing experience is necessary, just a strong back and a willing heart. 

Sail on deep ocean passages to some of the most remote islands on earth.  Island-hop in French Polynesia, taking in atolls with their white sandy beaches, and high rocky islands that jut out of the sea.  Learn traditional seafaring skills.  Experience real life aboard and on the islands we visit.  Build memories and friendships to last a lifetime.  

This voyage is open to the young and the young at heart, all that is needed is good physical fitness and the ability to get along well with others.  The South Pacific beckons.