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Living like sailors, Boston students return from two week schooner trip to Maine

By Kiera McDonald Globe Correspondent,Updated July 5, 2024, 11:02 p.m.
Mamadi Yombouno ( center ) with his father Abdel Yombouno ( left ) and his sister Maladoy Yombouno (right ), who are all from Guinea , got a warm return welcome after his voyage as the ship docked in South Boston Friday.David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Eighteen students from the Boston International Newcomers Academy returned home Friday from a two-week sailing voyage from Massachusetts to Maine.

The public school students, all of whom are immigrants, “lived like sailors” aboard the schooner Denis Sullivan, which is operated by the nonprofit World Ocean School of Boston.

The schooner Denis Sullivan, operated by the Ocean World School of Boston, returned Friday with 18 Boston Public School students aboard after a two-week trip to Maine. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Students worked alongside the crew to hoist sails, tie knots, stand watch, steer the ship, and read nautical charts as a way to strengthen leadership and community-building skills, according to World Ocean School.

At noon Friday, the schooner returned to the Moakley Dock in South Boston, where the students were greeted with smiles and hugs from their families.

The schooner was originally scheduled to sail to New York City, but unfavorable winds prompted Capt. Alec Schoettle to change course, program manager Madeline Sandler said in a post on the Ship’s Log.

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Mamadi, Alex, Eduardo, and Rickelson, writing under their first names, shared their experience in the log. The students accounts’ were translated from their native language into English.

“This trip was good for me because there were a lot of things I didn’t expect to see, things like dolphins, sea ect…,” Mamadi wrote. “That was my first time seeing a dolphin in real life and dolphins are my favorite thing under the water.”

Mamadi also shared that the activities aboard the ship created closer bonds with their fellow classmates.

“It feels great to be with my classmates here because we talk to each other and play,” Mamadi said.

For two weeks, students "lived like sailors" aboard the schooner Denis Sullivan. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Alex said their favorite part of the trip was looking up at the stars.

“There are activities that connect you with your partners like presenting the weather,” Alex’s entry stated. “But, the best part is when you have the opportunity to watch the stars and constellations in the clear sky.”

Alex also kept up with hobbies while learning how to sail.

“ . . . before writing this I was playing guitar,” they wrote.

Students gathered one last time on the schooner Denis Sullivan after pulling into Moakley Dock on Friday. For two weeks, on the trip run by the World Ocean School of Boston, the students learned the essentials of sailing, such as hoisting sales, tying knots, and teamwork. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Eduardo said the skills they learned could be applied to real-life.

“Hi, these days I am learning many new things like knots and commands, also things like responsibility and how our actions can affect other people,” Eduardo wrote.

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Rickelsonsaid the journey was one he will never forget.

“I think this experience will be one of the best experiences in my life,” wrote Rickelson.

The students, all of whom are new immigrants, grew close bonds on the two week trip from Boston to Maine run by the World Ocean School, a nonprofit based in Boston. David L. Ryan/Globe Staff

Kiera McDonald can be reached at kiera.mcdonald@globe.com.