Shake up your summer with an exciting and challenging tall ship camp experience!

When you climb the gangway to the deck, you step away from the familiar routines of school, friends, and family, and begin your own personal voyage of discovery. Your home is a magnificent 19^th century-style sailing ship, cruising the New England Coast.

You become a sailor, standing watch, hauling halyards, tending sheets, and steering your ship with pride as she scuds along before a fresh breeze. You watch whales, seals, and dolphins in their natural habitats, and observe the ocean world through hands-on investigations led by dynamic instructors eager to share their passion for ocean stewardship.

You’ll visit historic ports along the coast and her islands, including historical sites and museums, and be submerged in maritime culture through the stories, legends, superstitions, and myths of sailing ships and the sea. The rewards are found in moonlight nights with a gentle breeze…in knowing the names of the stars… and in feeling at home in the vastness of the ocean world.

You experience this voyage with strangers who will quickly become friends – friendships born through shared adventure. You become a respected member of a close-knit community, and what you learn about yourself is the true bounty of your voyage. Welcome aboard!

Seafaring Camp (one week sessions July 31-August 6; August 8 - 14) is a one-week co-educational learning adventure for teens aged 13-16, exploring the marine environment of coastal New England to discover the sea’s rich diversity of life, history, and lore. Through investigations led by the ship’s navigation officer, campers observe whales in their natural habitat, read and discuss excerpts from maritime literature, visit historical sites and museums, and share sea songs and stories. Advanced Seafaring Camp (July 12-August 1, for ages 15-17) takes the experience to the next level on a major sea voyage across the Gulf of Maine to Nova Scotia and back. The Tall Ships Festival Voyage is a unique opportunity to participate in the Boston-Charleston and Boston-Halifax legs of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge 2009 (three weeks July 12 - August 1 for ages 16-18). The Spirit of Massachusetts will sail alongside dozens of other tall ships, participating in races, parades of sail, and festival activities. As with the other Seafaring Camps, campers work along with the professional crew as full participants in the operation of this magnificent ship, visiting historic ports, making new friends, and experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Most trips begin and end in Boston, MA.