A brush past the Bermuda Triangle became a search and rescue adventure for one young Bermudian this month as he took part in the Tall Ships 2000 event.

Seventeen-year-old Alex Curtis was one of four local trainees on board the Russian training ship Kruzenshtern as she motored from the Island to Norfolk, Virginia.

But what could have been a uneventful cruise in the sun turned into a high seas adventure when the United States Coast Guard called on the 342-foot barque to help in not one, but two search and rescue missions.

"We did have some adventures,'' Alex said. "One time we received a distress call from a sailing boat that was in trouble just off the coast of Virginia.

"We altered course to go to their aid and, when we arrived, sent our inflatable rescue boat to investigate. We found out there was no one on board.

The crew must have abandoned ship.'' Asked how it felt when they first approached the boat, Alex said: "It was exciting, but we were also pretty worried about the people on board. A lot of the Russian Cadets thought it was the Bermuda Triangle.'' Kruzenshtern towed the 30-foot yacht all the way to Norfolk.

But before they arrived, they received another call from the US Coast Guard, this one a request to help search for a man overboard.

"We altered course again to go and look for a fisherman whose boat was run over by an oil tanker,'' he said. "There had been three people on board the fishing boat and two of them had already been rescued. Unfortunately, we didn't find the last one. The Coast Guard said they thought he probably went down with the ship. It was sad. I just imagined that poor guy floating around in the middle of nowhere.'' One highlight of the voyage for Alex was being asked to climb up the rigging to the ship's second highest yard arm, about 40 metres above the deck.

"That was enjoyable and it was a great view from the top,'' he said.

When the training ship finally did arrive in Norfolk, they were welcomed by a flight of United States Air Force jets, who did an impressive fly-by.

Asked if he would do it again given the chance, Alex said: "Yes, I think I would. It was a great experience. I learned a lot and it was really enjoyable.'' In anticipation: Seventeen-year-old Alex Curtis (left) takes a look at the Russian training ship Kruzenshtern with friend and fellow trainee Neil Cattell before it departs Bermuda for the United States.