THE Burgate School and Sixth Form were once again successful in producing winners for this year’s Marina Development Limited Sail Training Award 2017.

Alexandra Corrigan, who is in upper sixth, and Year 8 pupil Ciaran Robinson, along with one of last year's winners, Dylan Henstridge, returned triumphantly after completing a five-day voyage on board the Ocean Youth Trust South vessel, Prolific.

Marina Developments Limited sponsor six young people every year who are selected from a large area covering the Thames Valley and along the South Coast.

The students’ adventure took them from Ocean Village in Southampton to Cowes on the Isle of Wight, heading west out of the Solent on the second day to Poole, then on to Dartmouth where, to their delight, they were accompanied by a pod of dolphins in Lyme Bay.

The crew learnt sailing skills including tacking and gybing, winch and man overboard recovery drills, mixed sailing with some motoring when the wind died, piloting and planning a voyage.

The Burgate students earned their Royal Yachting Association Start Yachting certificates.

Amanda Jukes, the school's student opportunity promoter, said: “I am absolutely delighted that two of our students, Alexandra and Ciaran, deserving and inspirational young people, were selected as MDL Award winners this year. They joined a group of young people for Prolific's first youth voyage. MDL has given Burgate students tremendous support over the years and I would like to personally thank them for this wonderful opportunity."

Alexandra said: "Being on this boat is probably the happiest I've been in months. I love how every activity we do on the boat is made into something fun".

Ciaran said of his experience: "I enjoyed it because it was fun and new. The staff were friendly and welcoming, the voyage was epic and awesome, a great experience."