The Spirit of Bermuda has been dazzling spectators during the Sail Boston event this week.

Throughout the festival, thousands of visitors have toured the iconic sail-training vessel at Fan Pier and learnt about Bermuda’s maritime traditions.

The ship’s appearance on NBC10 Boston further showcased the island.

In one of the news segments, presenter Bianca Beltrán interviewed Gunnar Nikolai, a sail trainee on Spirit, who shared his experience enduring some difficult weather while sailing from Bermuda to Boston.

Jamila Hanley, a Spirit education officer spoke about the type of training offered on board while John Paul Doughty, the executive director of the Bermuda Sloop Foundation — Spirit’s charitable arm — talked about the welcoming nature of Bermudians and the impact of the ship’s programmes.

Glenn Jones, a Bermudian journalist working for NBC10 Boston, also did a segment on the Hilton Boston Park Plaza Hotel which, in partnership with Gosling’s, hosted a Taste of Bermuda fundraising event for the foundation.

Spirit joined the Parade of Sail alongside some of the world's most celebrated tall ships.

For the Bermuda Sloop Foundation, the voyage represented something greater than international recognition — it was a reminder of the charity's mission to inspire Bermuda’s young people through experiential learning, leadership development and a lifelong connection to the island's maritime heritage.

Leading the voyage are captain Mario Swainson and first officer Tristan DeSilva, Bermudians who joined the vessel in its early years as trainees in 2007.

Mr Swainson said: “Sailing into Boston as captain of Spirit of Bermuda is incredibly special because I know first-hand what this ship can do for a young person.

“I stepped aboard as a trainee almost 20 years ago and today I'm privileged to lead a new generation of Bermudians as they experience the same challenges, opportunities and sense of accomplishment.

“Representing Bermuda alongside these young sailors at an international event like Sail Boston is something none of us will ever forget.”

Mr Doughty said the voyage demonstrated why the foundation was preparing to relaunch its five-day, four-night middle school voyages in September.

He explained: “Every time Spirit of Bermuda sails into a foreign harbour, she carries much more than Bermuda's flag. She carries the values, resilience and potential of our young people.

“As we celebrate Spirit's 20th anniversary, we're also celebrating two decades of transforming lives.

“Our programmes have helped thousands of young Bermudians discover confidence, leadership, teamwork and purpose.

“There is simply nothing else in Bermuda that provides this kind of immersive learning experience while reconnecting young people with the maritime heritage that has shaped our island for centuries.”

Boston is an official port of Sail250, a global gathering of tall ships and military ships to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.

About two million people watched the Parade of Sail from the shoreline and Sail Boston anticipates about four million visitors to the event throughout the week, the foundation said.

Since launching in 2006, the Bermuda Sloop Foundation has welcomed more than 8,500 students aboard Spirit through more than 500 voyages, working with every public middle school on the island.

The programme has inspired more than 50 former trainees to pursue careers in the maritime industry.

After Sail Boston, Spirit of Bermuda will sail to Rhode Island for scheduled maintenance.

The vessel will then return to Bermuda to prepare for the relaunch of its residential middle school voyages in September.

Mr Doughty added: “For 20 years, Spirit of Bermuda has helped young people discover strengths they never knew they had.

“Every voyage builds confidence, character and connection — to one another, to Bermuda and to the sea.

“As we relaunch our residential voyages, we invite our community to invest in the next generation by supporting our programme, which can positively impact the lives of our children.”

• For more information about the Spirit of Bermuda, visit bermudasloop.org