After a journey of eight months and almost circling the globe, the ?Bermuda Seven? celebrated by hanging off the rigging of the as they entered Hamilton Harbour yesterday.

Katie Titterton, Florence Pedro, Jennifer Pereira, Kyla Smith, Melvin Martin, Joshua Emmerson and Stephen Bath, along with other non-Bermudians on the boat, were met by family and friends at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC).

The 188-foot barque is here for four days.

Ms Smith said the students had recently been in Guadeloupe. ?It was really pretty there,? she said. ?It has been a five or six day sail here and the anticipation almost killed us. It was hard.?

Mr. Bath said he has enjoyed the challenges of being on the boat since last September. ?It has been a lot of fun so far. It?s been interesting and sometimes difficult, but you learn to live with it.?

Mr. Emmerson said: ?Being back home is amazing ? it?s great and it?s heart-throbbing.?

Ms Titterton echoed those comments, but was already looking ahead to the next part of their journey.

?When we leave here we go straight to Halifax,? she said.?

Ms Pereira said all the students had become close. ?It?s hard not to,? she said.

See more in Thursday?s Young Observer.