A Sea and Life Training Society (SALTS) tall ship docked in Port Hardy July 5 at the end of a 10-day journey.
28 program participants were onboard for the trip which began on June 26 in Victoria and covered 350 nautical miles aboard the Pacific Grace.
The route went north through the Strait of Georgia, through Desolation Sound, and included a lot of exploration and enjoyment of the abundant coastal wildlife. The crew was five professionals and four additional staff.
Port Hardy resident Bethany Martineau, 16, received a bursary to be part of the program. Standing in the sun beside the Pacific Grace, the Port Hardy Secondary School student said that her favourite part of the program was making new friends and hanging out.
She also said she learned a lot of new skills and information about boats.
She also said one challenge was getting enough sleep.
SALTS began in 1974 and is a registered charity.
It operates two tall ships and aims to provide sail training to youth ages 13-25 and provides bursaries to some participants.