High Seas High School: School sailor returns to Bremerhaven

The "High Seas High School" project at the Hermann Lietz-Schule Spiekeroog has been combining school lessons with practical seamanship on a classic tall ship since 1993. What was initially reserved exclusively for pupils at the East Frisian boarding school is now open to young people from all over Germany and abroad.

More than 1,000 young people have travelled through the "sailing classroom" since then. Bremerhaven traditionally serves as the start and finish harbour for the annual voyages. And this is where 38 young people have now returned, having set off on the traditional sailing ship in October last year.

Departure in a storm, return home in sunshine

The 33rd trip began in October in stormy conditions - the German Weather Service had warned of gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour at the time. The "Eendracht", a three-masted schooner sailing under the Dutch flag, first headed for the Canary Islands, then set course for Cape Verde and from there crossed the Atlantic to the Caribbean.

After a longer stay ashore in Costa Rica, the route led via Cuba and Bermuda to the Azores before the ship moored in the New Harbour at around eleven o'clock on Sunday, 24 May in bright sunshine.

During the entire trip, the young people completed regular lessons according to the Lower Saxony curriculum. At the same time, they took on nautical tasks independently: Keeping watch around the clock, sailing manoeuvres, navigation, reading weather charts and steering the ship were all part of everyday life on board.

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Next "High Seas High School" planned for autumn

On their return to Bremerhaven, parents, siblings and numerous former participants were already waiting on the quay for the crew's return. However, the "Eendracht" will not have a long stay in harbour: just a few days later, the crew of the next voyage boarded, followed by new students for a one-week trial cruise. The official start of the 34th "High Seas High School" is planned for autumn.

More information you will find here.