Over a 10-day voyage, a culturally diverse group of 20 young people led by Captain Sarah Parry are thrust together into the very hands-on reality of sailing a tall-ship. Taken out of their comfort zones (without a smartphone in sight), challenged daily, discovering qualities they didn’t know they had, all the kids find themselves becoming part of a new interdependent community where everyone plays a vital role to keep the ship sailing and the crew safe.
Set against the stunning coastline of southern lutruwita/Tasmania, we follow Julie, George, Muna, Susan, and Eloise as they face the complexities and challenges of life on board; from the depths of sea sickness and dejection, to grappling with new vocabulary and concepts, overcoming their fears and cementing new friendships…culminating in Command Day when the teenagers take over and sail the ship alone.
Interwoven with the ‘here and now’ aboard, at the Hobart docks we meet Adrian who, through his involvement in Sarah’s latest youth focused program, has found a renewed sense of purpose and self worth. We also learn about the events in Sarah’s life that saved her from going ‘off the rails’ as a wayward teenager, setting her on a course to helping others.
What started out as a seemingly crazy, self-indulgent passion to build her own tall ship has taken Sarah further than she ever dared imagine. Since enlisting the help of a team of at-risk youth off the streets of Hobart to build the Windeward Bound 30 years ago, this ship has changed many young lives and has lead Sarah to devote her life to the ground-breaking sail-training programs for which she was awarded International Sail Trainer of the Year, 2017.
At an age when most would be putting their feet up and enjoying a well earned retirement, Sarah has never been busier nor more committed to making a difference.
