A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean

There’s something “magical” about sailing tall ships, said Amy Bell in the Financial Times. It lies partly in the majesty of the vessels themselves, partly in a sense of their long history, and partly in more immediate realities: the absorbing nature of the sailing itself; the bonding moments of joint endeavour; and the sheer pleasure of being out at sea beneath the Sun and stars, in fair weather and foul.

For my first voyage, I booked a berth on Blue Clipper, a three-masted gaff rig schooner aboard which guests – including complete beginners like me – are encouraged, but by no means obliged, to help out. Built in Sweden in 1991 for the cognac house Hennessy, the ship is now owned by Maybe Sailing, a not-for-profit organisation that provides youth sail training on its sister ship T.S. Maybe.