You could join the JST on a Cadetship, generously funded by Trinity House. This incredible opportunity not only offers tall ship sailing experience, but these are the only tall ships in the world that are wheelchair accessible. This makes a JST voyage like no other. With a diverse mixed-ability crew on each journey, you are bound to meet inspirational people.

Tom is the JST’s 2nd cadet funded by Trinity House. Here’s his story on board Tenacious.

As first ship placements go, I can’t help but feel that I was incredibly lucky with my appointment aboard the SV Tenacious. There was a feeling of excitement, outweighed slightly by apprehension and nerves; no doubt a feeling shared by the majority of my classmates and other phase 2 cadets in this situation.

It’s a weird concept having to travel halfway around the world to join a ship full of people you don’t know, to start a job you don’t really know how to do, and most importantly hoping that you will enjoy and learn from it. However I was fortunate enough share these travels with a colleague who kept our morale high!

We joined the ship in Tasmania and set sail for Sydney. After a few weeks of day sails and some maintenance, we set sail for Melbourne. There was further day sails and a two week maintenance block to get things squared away before a 3 week voyage to New Zealand. As a cadet, voyages on board Tenacious are where we learn the most. Understudying an OOW and assisting them for 12+ hours a day on their timetable was really beneficial for me.

Tom at the chart table with Marianne Clapton, the 2nd Mate on Tenacious and a previous Trinity House cadet.

Learning the role of an OOW was the main reason why I was on board. Thanks to the calibre of crew on the SV Tenacious, I’ve made steady progress in my TRB and they have been an integral part of learning how to conduct myself as an officer, not only with their cheerful attitude to other members of crew, but also their honesty, humility and professionalism with the paying voyage crew as well.

It’s not just the permanent crew I have learnt from. It’s also been from the mixed ability volunteers and voyage crew. It’s amazing to see how the JST attracts such a multitude of extraordinary personalities and abilities. They all join looking as nervous as I first did, but throughout the voyage they do things that they never thought they could do. But that’s the beauty of the JST, it’s about what you can do, not what you can’t do. These people leave the ship feeling empowered, not thinking about the dis in their ability, ready to tackle something bigger and no doubt with one of the many friends for life they have made on board.

Being aboard the JST ship really put things in perspective for me. Even though my time here is up, I have a lot to take away from this and hopefully I will have a 2nd ship placement which will be as insightful, helpful and pleasant as the SV Tenacious.

Thanks for reading! If you would like to find out more, please feel free to get in touch with the JST.