ARAWAK

Sailing on board of Arawak is a unique experience as this vessel is a historic ship, listed at the French heritage as the last witness of the artisanal fishing of Port Etel (large French tuna port in the 50’s) As there is a limited number of trainees and crewmembers on board (max 20 persons while navigating), everybody knows each other rather quickly. Apart from the technical sail training programme, young trainees will live close to nature, experiment a period without media & connection to internet and virtual games, develop new physical experiences – discovery of his / her potential and self-surpassing. Crews arouse trainees curiosity about marine mammals and birds encountered offshore. At stopovers, outings with a cultural focus are organised to unusual or historical sites, geological peculiarities, to meet local people and discover their lifestyle. Water games and swimming are common either on beaches or from the booat and allow everyone to experience sensations of freedom through his physical abilities. It is also an effective way to practice and improve the French language.

The Arawak being rather a small vessel with less than 16 trainees while navigating, everybody will have the opportunity to discover, be trained in and then participate to all the navigation tasks. At first, it means learning manoeuvres as hoisting, lowering, and trimming sails on a gaff rigged vessel. Of course, this programme includes also chart reading (including lights and beacons marking) GPS applications, water depths and current speeds / direction computations according to the tides (times and coefficient) in order to prepare safely the routes, and steering. As usually the stay involves several days of navigation, teams of two or more trainees will be established by shifts in order to operate the vessels day and eventually night. The crew will also make trainees quite aware of the rules of environment protection, energy and water management ( to optimise the reserves) and waste selective sorting.