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Join a sailing adventure on a Tall Ship and set course for new horizons!

Lunenburg (CA) - Panama City (PA) - San Cristobal, Galapagos (EC)

22 April - 19 July 2025

88 days, Picton Castle

From € 13405,-

Book this journey

Expedition Sail Training

Regular: € 13405,-

Book this journey

Picton Castle:
Lunenburg (CA) - Panama City (PA) - San Cristobal, Galapagos (EC)

22 April - 19 July 2025

One voyage, two oceans, and countless unforgettable experiences! Join the Picton Castle as it sails from Nova Scotia, Canada, to the iconic Galapagos Islands, with stops in the Caribbean gems of Anguilla and Bonaire, and a passage through the Panama Canal. Cross from the Atlantic to the Pacific and continue on to the remote Galapagos, celebrated for their extraordinary and unique ecosystem. Set sail and be part of this remarkable journey!
Open for all Windseekers, minimum age 18 years.
The journey price has been converted to EUR to provide an approximate total. The final price is 14,500 USD.

About this Voyage

This expedition will be made in true Picton Castle style. Adventures at sea and on land, amazing, storied ports to visit, a variety of sailing conditions, and incredible hands-on learning opportunities will be the hallmarks of this voyage. You will learn seamanship, steering a tall ship at sea, small boat handling, sailmaking, rigging, celestial navigation, carpentry, ropework... The ports, your shipmates, and yourself.

You can now apply to be part of this epic voyage! Picton Castle sails with a combination of professional and trainee crew. The crew are qualified mariners with significant experience at sea, ready to teach you the ropes. Trainees are folks like you – curious, adventurous, inspired by a challenge, fit, from a variety of nationalities and backgrounds, wanting to go to sea and see the world from the unique perspective that only being crew on a voyage can offer – and ready for a challenge!

This is a voyage for adventurous souls. People ages 18 and up of all genders and all nationalities are welcome to apply. As a trainee you will participate in all aspects of sailing the ship: you’ll stand watches, take your turn at the wheel and as lookout, you’ll handle lines and sails, scrub decks, help the cook in the galley, assist with ship’s maintenance, and learn authentic seamanship skills as was the time-honoured way of the wind ships in the Age of Sail, and still is in Picton Castle.

Whether you’re looking for adventure, to travel the world, to travel sustainably by wind power, learn new skills, to challenge yourself personally, to gain teamwork skills, to be part of a close-knit community aboard, to do something amazing with your gap year or big overseas adventure, to check an item off your bucket list, to lay a foundation for a career at sea, to accomplish the dream of a lifetime, or simply to experience the portion of our planet covered by water, you’re welcome to apply.

Ports

Lunenburg is a Canadian port town in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. Historically the town was involved in several wars, including the American Revolution. Today the town is a fishery port and has several small shipyards that have managed to preserve the skills of the sailing era. Did you know that the replica of the ‘Bounty’ was built here? Visit the historic city centre on foot or by horse and carriage, and enjoy a leisurely hike in the grassy hills of the surrounding countryside.

The Galápagos Islands are an archipelago off the coast of Ecuador whose wildlife is famous for inspiring Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. There you will see many species that don't exist anywhere else in the world, including giant tortoises, lizards and numerous birds. Take a boat tour through Black Turtle Cove, walk to the Tortuga Bay or, if you're feeling adventurous, take a trekk through massive underground lava tubes.

  • San Cristobal, Galapagos (EC)

Key points

  • Dates: 22 April 2025 - 19 July 2025
  • For Windseekers of all ages, minimum age 18 years
  • Windseekers joining: maximum 40
  • No sailing experience required!
  • Official language on board: English
  • Price includes: accommodation and meals, excludes drinks at the bar
  • Price excludes transportation costs to-and from the ports. Our travel counsellor can advise you and book your transfers
  • Windseekers need to have a health insurance and a travel insurance
  • Need to take with you on board: sleeping bags and towels
  • "I loved the bond we all made together, and how we had to help each other sailing the ship and setting sails."

    Mia Rosa (17), Denmark

You sail on the Picton Castle

Picton Castle sailing all sails
Shipping type: Barque
Homeport: Avatiu, Cook Islands
Date built: 1928
Trainees: 40
Length: 45m
Height of mast: 29,57m
Sail: 1157m2

Deep water, square rigger, ocean voyaging at its best. The barque Picton Castle is known for her international voyages, crossing oceans and a high standard of seamanship training. This 179-foot sailing ship accommodates 52 people, including 12 professional crew members …

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Windseeker logs

  • A busy and productive day at sea

    Gulden Leeuw, July 2015

    Aalborg

    – by Trainees Charlotte and Pernille

    Charlotte (26), UK We were lucky as a watch this morning and didn’t go on sail watch until 8 a.m. Some people had to get up to make breakfast but the rest of us enjoyed our lie-in and were bright-eyed and …

    Read log
  • Almost Home

    Oosterschelde

    Cape Verde - Netherlands

    – by crew Oosterschelde

    In a way we’re having bad luck: the English Channel is an area with a lot of traffic. Unfortunately we cannot see it. On our last day at sea the temperature dropped till 7 degrees (above zero, fortunately) and the …

    Read log

Photos

  • Trainees
  • Trainee

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This Journey is not covered by the STO Garant guarantee.