BOOKS ON A BOAT:
Students from the organisation Class Afloat which tours the globe on a sail ship named the Gulden Leeuw arrived in Cape Town harbour for a five-day port visit.
AFTER FIVE months at sea, travelling the world and not skipping a day of school, 34, youngsters on board their floating place of learning docked in Cape Town yesterday.
Class Afloat allows high school pupils and university students from across the world the opportunity to sail to 18 ports on four continents where they get to experience local cultures, visit historic sites and participate in voluntary service projects for about nine months.
This is all done under the guidance of a team of academic staff and professional mariner crew.
The Class Afloat ship, the Gulden Leeuw, set sail in September from Amsterdam, in the Netherlands to Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Brazil, Uruguay and Tristan Da Cuhna, the world’s most remote island.
South Africa is the 12th stop on its journey, and the ship will be docked in Cape Town until February 22.
The 34 not only get the opportunity to see exciting parts of the world but are expected to attend classes and help in sailing the ship.
“A really valuable lesson on Class Afloat is learning about cultural and personality differences when you’re living in such tight living quarters,” says former alumnus Brittany McLeod.
“I also really loved meeting people from all over the world. You get a real local’s perspective and see their home.”
The Class Afloat’s stop in South Africa is the third stop in their second semester. The ship has already visited Uruguay and the UK.
After leaving from Cape Town, the Gulden Leeuw sails for 16 days to St Helena, followed by Ascension, Bridgetown, Samana, and Hamilton before arriving in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia in May for a graduation ceremony.
Youngster s from across the world are welcome to enrol for the 2017/18 school year on Class Afloat at www. classafloat.com. There are sponsorships of R150 000 for South Africans.