Kylie's Memoirs from Onboard the Tall Ship - Feb 5, 2010

My name is Kylie, I'm 24 and recently got the privilege of going on the One and All. It is an amazing experience.

You learn how to help sail the One and All, for example navigate, learn the sails, the lines to the sails and you even get to steer the boat. But you also learn new things about your self. I learned to work with younger people and built up my self confidence. I met amazing people and by the end of the trip they felt like family. You do have a fair bit to learn when it comes to the boat but when you're on there you're amazed at how easy it is to learn everything.

But it's not just all hard work!

You see so many dolphins, I thought I wasn't going to see any but I lost count. We even got to see a shark only meters away from the boat.

One thing that I amazed myself with is I climbed aloft (aloft is up were the sails are) all the way to the top, I achieved something that I never thought I would do. Its amazing sailing along and your up there and you can see everything. I was so scared and I did it and no one could have taken that moment away from me.

Another thing you learn out there is goals and how to achieve them. You set some goals for while you're on the boat and try your hardest to achieve them and you will because you have great people pushing and supporting you. I achieved the goals I set and beyond them.

Our trip took us to kangaroo island where they anchor down and we go on the beach and play group activities, some challenging but some really fun. These activities help you to progress in team work.

We also anchored down at Oyster Bay which is along the York peninsula, and we got time to go swimming of the boat. We got to swing off a rope into the water and jump of the jiboom (the jiboom is what most people seem to call the big stick off the front of the boat).

I had the time of my life on the One and All. I've brought home great memories and new skills that I can use in everyday life like the team work, communication, achieving goals and so much more.

If you get the opportunity to experience the One and All, take in what you learn and you will amaze your self.