The Pride of Baltimore sailed from Charleston to Boston and on to Nova Scotia with Louise on board

One trainee sailor from Northern Ireland who took to the high seas as part of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge said the experience has allowed her to see the world.

Louise Ruffell (23) from just outside Belfast had wanted to sail across the Atlantic and participated in an earlier leg of the race which finished in Bermuda.

However, she enjoyed the experience so much that she decided she wasn’t ready to go home and asked if any of the vessels would agree to take her.

She struck lucky when Pride of Baltimore needed an extra crew member and said she could sail with them as volunteer crew for the next leg which went to Charleston, then Boston, and then to Halifax Nova Scotia in Canada.

“I couldn’t believe my luck,” she said.

“I loved sailing with Jolie Brise, but once I’d done that then suddenly I realised I didn’t want to go home yet, especially as I was enjoying the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge and being with the other vessels and crews.

“I started asking around to see what was possible and was so excited when Pride’s skipper Jan Miles said I could join them as volunteer crew.”

Louise sais she has learnt a lot since being on board the Pride of Baltimore. At first, she said, she found it quite hard to get to grips with the rigging and life on board.

“We also have a lot of maintenance work to do like sanding, varnishing and painting so to be honest I’m looking forward to getting back to sea again.”

The last leg from Halifax to Belfast is now under way with the crews expected to arrive for the finale celebrations from August 13-16.

However, Louise, who graduated a year ago from Bristol University with a degree in Classical Studies, has decided to remain on land and won’t be arriving back in Belfast for the celebrations.

She said she is quite sad not to be sailing with the rest of the fleet back across the Atlantic to home.

“But I’m going to get to go to some wonderful places here in Canada and in the USA,” she said.

“For the moment I’m just enjoying every minute, but I will be sad to be saying goodbye to my friends on other vessels who are heading back to Belfast.

“It would have been great to go too but this way I’m getting to see so much more.”

If you have any memories or photographs of the Tall Ships’ |visit in 1991 please email vo’hara@belfasttelegraph.co.uk.