‘Sailors’ who are on a crest of a wave
They’re heading off on a voyage with the best wishes of civic dignitaries to send them on their way.
That’s the 151 sail trainees from Wearside who will be starting the adventure of a lifetime in a matter of days.
The Sunderland contingency will be taking part in the first leg of The Tall Ships Races but before then, they had another big occasion to enjoy.
The Mayor of Sunderland, Coun Lynda Scanlan, met the trainees and their sponsors at the Civic Centre.
Shesaid:“Bysailingonone of these majestic ships, they will have an almost unique opportunity to discover their own strengths and talents as well as those around them as they learn to appreciate the value of working as a team.
“I am so very proud of everyonetakingthisfantasticopportunity, and I’d also like to thankallofthegeneroussponsors and supporters without whom many of these voyages would not be possible.”
The Tall Ships Races Sunderland 2018 will give many young people the chance to use their experience of being at sea as a wonderful way of learning about themselves and their crewmates.
The first leg of The Tall Ships Races 2018 sails from Sunderland to Esbjerg in Denmark.But before then, Wearside will host a five-day festival starting on Tuesday, July 10 and running until Saturday, July 14.
That’s when the sail trainees will begin their voyage with a spectacular Parade of Sail along the city’s coastline before spending about four days at sea.
Once in Esbjerg, the adventure continues with cultural and sporting activities, a crew party and the renowned crew parade, where sail trainees from all the vessels come together to celebrate the race and thank their hosts in Denmark.
Sail trainee, Caitlin Buddy who will be sailing on board the Santa Maria Manuela, said: “It was great to meet the mayor and learn more about the importance of this iconic event not just to us but also the city as a whole.
“When I heard about the chance to be part of this fantastic event I jumped at it and I’m really pleased I did.
“I’m both a little bit nervous and excited about the voyage next month. I’m looking forward to having an adventure, making new friends and visiting Esbjerg at the end of the race”.
Up to 1.5million people are expected to head to Sunderland for the festival, featuring 55 sailing ships from around the world.
For more information about The Tall Ships Races Sunderland 2018, visit www.tallshipssunderland. com follow on Twitter @ TallShipsSund or Facebook at: Tall Ships Races Sunderland.