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TALL SHIPS CHRONICLES
Episode 1: Nova Scotia to Panama
The series begins in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia,
Canada where the tall ship Picton Castle is being
prepared to begin her 19 month voyage around the world. The
Picton Castle is commanded by Captain Daniel Moreland and his
crew of a dozen paid professionals and 35 paying trainees. The
crew is comprised of men and women of various ages and from
a wide range of backgrounds and nationalities. One of the trainees
is a 29 year old actor named Andrew Younghusband who will also
be the narrator for the series. Andrew has never spent any time
at sea, let alone aboard a square rigged ship, and his ignorance
of the lifestyle very quickly becomes apparent in his very first
meeting with the Captain.
Andrew and his fellow shipmates begin to
get to know one another and start adjusting to their new floating
home. It's late October and the weather is cold and rainy, but
the ship is leaving in less than two weeks so there is a great
deal of work to do so everyone is put to their first test. In
addition to the adjusting to living with 45 other individuals
in cramped quarters, the trainees also need to learn the art
of climbing high into the rigging in all conditions day and
night to learn how to furl sails.
After several agonizing delays, the ship
is finally ready to set sail, and the families and friends of
the crew gather to wish them well. There are many tearful goodbyes
and the emotions are running very high as the ship slips away
from the dock and eventually disappears over the horizon.
Once at sea, the crew discover first hand
what the North Atlantic in November is like and for many of
the crew, it takes several days for their seasickness to subside.
Gradually they get into the rhythm of the ship and people begin
to become better friends with some crew more than others. The
voyage started without any couples on board, but two weeks after
leaving Lunenburg, one secret romance has already begun.
Episode 2: Panama to the Galapagos Islands
The Picton Castle has arrived
at the Panama Canal and the crew are amazed by this engineering
wonder as they pass from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.
Arriving on the Pacific side of the canal marks the beginning
of their passage through the sultry South Pacific.
They crew are very excited about the upcoming
six months and their visits to the Galapagos Islands, Pitcairn
Island, and Tahiti. Some of the crew, however, are not very
excited about the daily lifestyle aboard ship and one crewmember
decides to end the voyage in Panama. Andrew has been having
his own difficulties with an injury to his hand that he feels
the doctor hasn't properly taken care of as well as several
discussions with the Captain about modifying his behaviour to
become a better shipmate.
As the crew set sail from Panama, it will
be two weeks before they see land again, and during that time,
the majority of the crew will be subject to an ancient maritime
hazing ritual as they are visited by King Neptune as they sail
across the equator. As they get closer to the equator, the un-initiated
"pollywogs" become increasingly concerned as rumours begin to
circulate about what will happen to them during the equator
crossing. The newly formed couple have other issues to think
about as they consider if they should be the next to jump ship.
Episode 3: The Galapagos Islands to Pitcairn
Island
The Picton Castle has arrived in the famed
Galapagos Islands, and the crew take full advantage of the opportunity
to explore the exotic wildlife that inspired Darwin's Theory
of Evolution. Several of the crew have decided they aren't interested
in evolving any further, so they pack their bags and jump ship.
After several weeks of exploring the islands
that time forgot, the Picton Castle and her crew embark
on the 2 nd longest leg of the world voyage and spend the next
month at sea enroute to Pitcairn Island.
During the passage, the crew begin to experience
the emotional reality of being in one of the most isolated corners
of the planet and cut off from the rest of the world for weeks
on end. They begin to gain a new respect for the power of the
sea and a deeper understanding of the danger of becoming complacent.
Several of the crew soar to new heights
in conquering their fears while others reflect on their new
lives compared to the lives they have left behind. The anticipation
grows, as they get closer to Pitcairn Island and the home of
the descendants of Fletcher Christian and the Mutiny of
the Bounty .
Episode 4: Pitcairn Island to Tahiti
After spending almost one month at sea
and having travelled 2700 miles without seeing land, the Picton
Castle and her crew arrive at one of the most isolated islands
in the world. This remote piece of land isn't just any island,
but rather the home of the descendants of the mutineers from
the HMS Bounty .
Upon arriving at Pitcairn Island the Captain
and crew are immediately made to feel at home and are each "adopted"
by one of the 40 plus residents and invited back to their homes
where they will be fed and housed during their stay on the island.
The Captain is welcomed home like a long lost son and the crew
discover that he has a history with the island residents going
back 25 years from when he first visited the island.
The crew are more than happy spend 10 carefree
days exploring this new paradise and experiencing the freedom
that Fletcher Christian and his crewmates risked their lives
for. Soon it is time to bid their new adopted families farewell
and set sail for the next fantasy destination.
After many tearful goodbyes, the crew are
on their way towards French Polynesia and they pass the time
by having their own talent show. Everyone gets involved, and
not even the Captain is exempt from the humorous skits as the
crew poke fun at each other. This festive mood sets the scene
for the arrival in Tahiti, one of the most seductive islands
in the world that the crew are about to experience first hand.
Episode 5: Tahiti to the Cook Islands
Having sailed nearly 8,000 miles in less
than four months, the crew of the Picton Castle arrive in Tahiti,
the heart of French Polynesia. This is the beginning of many
months of island hopping through the South Pacific and the part
of the voyage many of the crew were looking forward to the most.
Another thing many of the crew were looking
forward to was the opportunity of getting a permanent memento
of their voyage in the form of a traditional Polynesian tattoo.
Other crewmembers are captivated by the seductive and hypnotic
rhythm of Tahitian music and dancing.
The Picton Castle experiences another change
of crew members as several people decide to return home and
are replaced by crew that have signed on for only a few months.
These "newbies" have a great deal to learn about crewing aboard
a Tall Ship, including the challenges of day to day life at
sea.
The crew barely have the chance to settle
into their new island hopping pace of life when they are faced
with a potentially fatal mosquito borne tropical disease epidemic.
They assess their level of risk and decide to continue to explore
several of the islands, but for one unlucky crewmember, their
worst fear is realized.
Episode 6: The Cook Islands to Samoa
The crew of the Picton Castle are now deep
in the heart of the picture prefect South Pacific Ocean. They
have now left French Polynesia and are once again able to communicate
with the locals in English.
The visit to the Cook Islands holds a special
significance for the Picton Castle and the Captain because the
ship is registered here and flies the Cook Islands flag. The
locals warmly greet the crew and before you know it, they are
putting their newly acquired Polynesian dance skills to the
test.
For trainee Jim, this stop represents a
long awaited chance to have his family come for a visit having
not seen them in 10 months since the ship left Canada. For Christa,
however, this port of call is less joyous as she prepares to
say goodbye to her shipmates and return to Canada. This port
also represents a special challenge for Phil as he begins his
search for another job aboard a cargo ship in the event that
his position isn't renewed aboard the Picton Castle.
After 10 days in Rarotonga, the Picton
Castle sets sail for Palmerston Island, which is another favourite
destination for the Captain. Upon the ships' arrival, each of
the crew are "adopted" by a local family and quickly become
part of the community, which inadvertently results in them also
becoming the focus of the latest controversy amongst the islanders.
Episode 7: Samoa to Fiji
As the Picton Castle continues its island
hopping through the South Pacific, all is not well in paradise.
Hygiene problems, infection and bad water have got crew morale
at an all-time low. As the ship approaches the island of Puka
Puka the crew is understandably tense. This remote island has
not seen this many visitors since 1974 and the islanders have
absolutely no idea they're coming.
The next stop can be summed up in two words:
Boar's Tooth. This traditional form of tattooing is unique to
Samoa and the crew certainly get 'bitten' by the boar's tooth
tattoo bug. One truth is soon made clear.this procedure is not
for the faint of heart!
The arrival in Tonga is marked by the departure
of two shipmates: Kelly and Mac. Mac may have come in like a
lamb, but he's going out like a lion. Lauren does her best to
keep the peace as Mac and the Captain express their 'true feelings'
for each other over dinner.
Beautiful Fiji is the sight of more sad
good-byes as the Picton Castle bids farewell to two of its most
beloved members, first mate Billy and the youngest crewmember,
Sloane. Fiji is also the place where cooks Laurie and Dennis
speak up for the first time about their conflict in the galley
- a conflict that leads to insults, threats and ultimately Dennis'
departure from the ship.
As the Picton Castle prepares to leave
Fiji the crew must come to terms with two facts: they no longer
have a cook and must take turns in the galley, and not everyone
who started this world voyage will finish. The big question
is who will be next?
Episode 8: Fiji to Vanuatu
The Picton Castle's visit to Fiji represents
another emotional turning point for everyone aboard as they
say a painful goodbye to several long time crewmembers who are
leaving the ship and welcome a new first mate, a new engineer
and a new third mate.
Lauren finally has a chance to learn more
about Andrew's life prior to joining the Picton Castle when
they watch a tape of Andrew performing in earlier television
shows. He's nervous about how she'll react to the side of his
life she's never been exposed to.
While several of the crew decide to take
a trip to Thailand, the Tall Ship Chronicles cameraman, Wade
decides to return to Nova Scotia for a well-earned break, and
the assistant cook, Laurie decides to leave just before the
Picton Castle sets sail, leaving the ship and crew without a
cook. Emily and Jen who step up to the stove and cook their
first meal for the crew quickly fill the unexpected vacancy
in the galley. They give it their best shot but are disappointed
with their culinary results; however, they redeem themselves
the next morning with an amazing breakfast.
The ship finally sets sail and three days
out of Fiji, the crew receives information that a tropical depression
has unexpectedly developed into a full-blown storm and is heading
directly for them. The ship is several days from their nearest
port and has no way to outrun the storm which means the only
option is to batten down the hatches and prepare to face the
worst. They don't have long to wait before they're dealing with
gale force winds, gigantic seas and blinding rain. All hands
are on deck and are reminded that when you're at sea, Mother
Nature is in control.
Episode 9: Vanuatu
As the Picton Castle arrives at the exotically
rugged Vanuatu Islands on the fringe of the South Pacific, the
crew comes face to face with a culture that was historically
feared for its cannibalism. The Picton Castle and her crew fascinate
the local inhabitants, and two of the local islanders even join
the ship as it visits the surrounding islands.
In exchange for the their hospitality,
the crew help the locals with small repair jobs and daily chores
and soon realize how difficult their daily lives are. The ship
decides to host what begins as a small party for the village,
but turns into a gathering of several hundred people from all
of the surrounding villages.
During a Sunday night of kava drinking
on shore, the crew are struck by the irony of the differences
between the religious beliefs of the islanders and themselves
and worry about the lingering negative effect it might have
on the island population after they leave.
While visiting a nearby island, several
crew explore an active volcano, while others explore the trading
opportunities and begin to appreciate the cultural difference
between items the locals value and items they consider valuable.
Andrew discovers that even on these remote islands, cash is
king, and he is challenged with rounding up enough cash to buy
a large wooden statue. The crew also discover that their local
crew members, Ezekial and Jake, fear the tribe on the island
might use their reputed power of black magic to cast a spell
on them since they come from a different island.
While swimming in a lagoon, Maria gets
stung by a poisonous jellyfish and has an extremely violent
reaction. The crew take turns staying by her side through the
night, while Jill must rely on her medical training with the
help of a remote medical service to decide on a course of treatment.
As Maria's condition worsens, the Captain and crew are faced
with an extremely difficult decision and a huge challenge that
puts everyone on edge.
Episode 10: Vanuatu to Bali
This episode finds the crew of the Picton
Castle on the southern edge of Polynesia in the heart of the
ruggedly exotic Vanuatu Islands. After several weeks of exploring
these rarely visited islands, Andrew and the crew have not only
gained an insight into the local culture, but have also welcomed
two locals named Jack and Ezekial as their newest trainee shipmates.
During a visit to the wreck of a WWII bomber
plane, the human costs of warfare begin to take on a new significance
for Kate as she is reminded of a family member that was killed
during WWII. The crew doesn't realize it at the time, but Kate's
experience is a prelude to the shock they will all have to deal
with in the weeks to come.
After nearly one full year on board the
Picton Castle, Captain Dan recognizes that the group of novice
trainees he started the voyage with are now competent sailors.
In recognition of their achievement, Andrew and several of the
trainee crew are offered the opportunity to "call" the sail
changes. They soon realize there is always more to learn.
As the ship and crew sail away from Vanuatu,
they officially leave the South Pacific and make their way to
Australia via the treacherous Torres Straits. Several days after
arriving in Darwin, they are struck with the news of the September
11 attacks in New York. As they deal with the shock and anxiety
of being half way around the world from their friends and family,
they begin to consider what effect the attacks might have on
them. They hold their own memorial service and many of the crew
gain a new perspective on the voyage and what they truly consider
important. After many long hours of consideration, some of the
crew decide to return to their home countries and the Captain
even considers ending the world voyage. Eventually the decision
is made to proceed with caution to the next scheduled port of
call, which happens to be the largest Muslim country on the
planet.
While the Picton Castle is preparing to
leave Australia, Andrew and Lauren are preparing to stay in
Australia for a few weeks so Andrew can revisit the place he
was born and lived for seven years. They rent a camper van to
drive across the country and discover as much about themselves
as they do about the Australian outback.
During the passage to Indonesia, the Picton
Castle crew have a great deal to reflect upon, including the
possibility of being attacked by modern-day pirates. The crew
learn how to defend themselves against a potential pirate attack
and very soon have a chance to test their new knowledge.
Episode 11: Bali to the Seychelle Islands
The Picton Castle and her crew have arrived
in the exotic island of Bali, Indonesia. The US terrorist attacks
are still very much on everyone's mind, especially since they
have just arrived in a country with a Muslim population of 300
million people. As the crew adjusts to their new post September
11 reality, Andrew is preparing to deal with the reality of
meeting Lauren's parents for the first time.
Capt. Dan takes advantage of the fact that
Bali is a mecca for all things handmade such as carvings, clothing,
and furniture and goes on a shopping spree for trading goods.
Andrew also goes shopping, but ends up with a ton of items and
a serious challenge of getting permission to bring them aboard
the ship.
Before leaving Bali to cross the Indian
Ocean, the Picton Castle takes on eight new trainee crew or
"newbies". This passage will be the longest yet of the entire
world voyage and will take at least five weeks to complete.
Given the uncertain global political situation however, they
leave Bali without knowing what their next port of call will
be.
Several weeks after leaving Bali, the crew
celebrate a monumental milestone of being one full year at sea
since leaving Lunenburg Nova Scotia. The crew reflect on everything
that has happening during the past year and how they have grown
and changed. Capt. Dan decides on their next port of call, but
five days before arriving in the Seychelle Islands, Sven hurts
his back and is totally immobilized. The crew do everything
possible to make him comfortable as they race to get to the
nearest port. Upon arriving in the Seychelles, Sven is sent
to South Africa by air ambulance and Lauren decides to go with
him, which means she may not see Andrew or the ship again for
several months.
Episode 12: The Seychelle Islands to South
Africa
After spending five weeks crossing the
Indian Ocean, the Picton Castle and her crew are in the Seychelle
Islands. Jim decides to pursue his life long dream of attempting
to climb the highest peak in Africa and is joined by Andrew
and several of the crew. The adventure turns out to be more
difficult than they had expected and they face the possibility
that they may not succeed in reaching the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Back in the Seychelle Islands, the Picton
Castle welcomes several newbies, as well as former crew member
Charlie who left the ship seven months earlier. They receive
encouraging news that Sven is recovering from his back injury
and hopes to return to the ship in South Africa.
Andrew and Lauren are reunited after several
weeks apart and the ship heads for Madagascar. The crew spend
their second Christmas together at sea and are reminded that
the ship has become their home and their crew mates have become
their family.
After celebrating New Year's Eve in Hellville,
the ship sets sail for South Africa via the Comoros Islands
where Andrew searches for hand carved items for his house in
Canada. As they approach the notoriously stormy Cape of Good
Hope, the crew work together to prepare for the worst, but end
up establishing a new speed record for the Picton Castle. With
South Africa only days away, Lauren finally makes a big decision
that could spell the end of her relationship with Andrew.
Episode 13: South Africa
The Picton Castle arrives in Cape Town,
South Africa to a dock filled with cheering family and friends.
Lauren officially completes her circumnavigation and signs off
the ship after nearly three years aboard.
The ship goes into dry-dock for a 35,000-mile
check-up and the crew are able to take some time off. Dr. Dave
and Chief Mate Michael go on a Harley road trip and explore
the wine country. Emily goes off in search of her host family
from a previous visit and is reminded of the impact that Aids
is having in Africa. Ezekiel experiences his first ever train
ride while Andrew enjoys time together with his brother and
Lauren's family. Kate delivers thousands of much needed text
books to local schools and receives an overwhelming response.
Jenny visits the prison where Nelson Mandela was held for 18
years and discovers the impact that North Americans had on ending
Apartheid.
The ship's departure date is delayed several
times while Capt. Dan waits for the new steel yards to be completed.
Lauren begins to settle back into her life in Cape Town as she
gets a new job and buys a car. Once the ship is finally ready
to leave, Lauren and Andrew come face to face with a moment
they have been dreading for months.
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