The coronavirus pandemic has messed up a lot of travel plans. We’re feeling that here too – if we had proceeded as scheduled, Picton Castle would be sailing in gorgeous South Pacific trade winds on a passage from the Galapagos Islands to Pitcairn Island right now. But ports are generally not open, we’re not sailing and the ship is currently tied snugly alongside the wharf in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada and will be until the spring of 2021 when we’re scheduled to start our around the world voyage. In good news, ports are beginning to open up too.
For those of us who travel a lot, or those who were looking forward to a big trip or voyage in 2021, staying home and doing our part to flatten the curve is a big change. If we can’t travel now, why not use this time to plan future travels?
In fact, research shows that planning a trip is good for our mental health. Having something to look forward to can help us through a tough time by connecting us with other people and causing us to be optimistic about the future. You can read more about the research in this National Geographic article: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/2020/05/planning-a-trip-is-good-for-you-especially-during-pandemic/#close
The article gives a few suggestions for what we can do now to harness the good feelings that come from planning a trip. First thing is this – get inspired. We can help with that! Read up on the upcoming voyage, check out Captain’s Logs from previous voyages that give real-time updates on the adventures of Picton Castle and her crew, browse our photo gallery, and watch some of our favourite videos made on board. You could also find inspiration in our suggested reading list that includes books like Two Years Before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana and The Last Grain Race by Eric Newbey. You can study up on the ports, too.
Picton Castle will be sailing to some pretty amazing ports and islands on this upcoming voyage around the world. Like the author of the National Geographic article, you could look some of them up on Google Maps and check them out with street view. Want to know what the ‘Hill of Difficulty’ that leads up from the Landing at Pitcairn Island looks like? You can check it out on street view.
Brushing up on your trip planning skills is one of the suggestions in the article. That’s a good idea, as Picton Castle trainee crew members are responsible for their own travel to and from the ship. However, once you’re aboard, the logistics of getting from place to place and dealing with immigration and customs is taken care of by the ship. You’re free to do as you like on your days off duty ashore, so it’s up to you to decide how you spend them. We will give an introduction to each port before we arrive, including suggestions for things to do and also what not do. We take care of most of the trip planning once you’re on board, taking full advantage of the many decades of the Captain’s experience of sailing Picton Castle to these incredible ports and the connections we’ve made there.
The article also suggests asking for help, which is as easy as getting in touch with us! We’re pleased to talk with you and answer as many questions as you have about the voyage and what it’s like to sail in Picton Castle. If you like, we would also be happy to connect you with one of our crew alumni so they can give you the scoop from a first-hand perspective.
We’re busy dreaming and planning for next year too. We’ve been in touch with our contacts in all the various ports we’ll visit and we’ll be bringing you updates from them. We’re working on fine tuning the itinerary and starting to work on all the logistical planning. We’re also working on putting together a fantastic crew for the voyage by reviewing and processing trainee applications. We’re still accepting applications, so once you’ve done your research and are feeling inspired, get in touch!
