A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for: an overview of outdoor studies at St Martin's College

Sea-going vessels come in all shapes and sizes with different hulls and rigging. Different people view them through different eyes. The vessel that is Outdoor Studies at St Martinʼs College is one of those well-loved craft of indeterminate class that has been so constantly trimmed and re-fitted, it isnʼt the vessel it was. However it handles well in most conditions and the crews pass through happily enough. The keel was laid over thirty years ago by Colin Mortlock, and was designed for small crews and high performance, an Advanced Certificate in Adventure Education. She sailed far and wide and the crews weathered well, sailing demanding courses under a strong navigator. The strengths of this approach were soon recognised and offers came to add a new dimension to Initial Teacher Training at Charlotte Mason College, developing in student teachers those characteristics that constitute a well-rounded crewmember