story The Ukrainian ship, Khersones is not your average cruise ship. It arrived in Bermuda on February 4 from Antigua with 65 teenage boys along with 40 officers.

It sailed from St. George's Harbour yesterday with two new members on board, Bermudians Drew Horsfield and Chris Williams. The pair are trained sailors.

For almost a year the Ukrainian boys have been away from their families. They left home as boys and will return as men.

They wake up before the sun and work until they see the moon again. Every thing on the ship is done by hand. When a sail needs to be put up, a brave 18 year old climbs the 150-foot high mast and does his job.

Not every boy on the ship is required to carry out tasks as hard as climbing the mast, some just have to wash dishes while others swab the deck. Though, in the end, everyone has climbed the mast and washed their share of dishes.

The crew are on a sailing school. The boys have normal math lessons with the only difference they have to use the math they learn to sail their majestic tall ship.

These soon-to-be men are not picked the same way that boys are picked to join the Bermuda Regiment; they've offered themselves for the voyage.

They do not have to pay anything to join and in the end they get paid if they decide to stay.

Cadets can join the crew through corporate or private sponsorship and work their way from crewman/student to instructor.

Mrs. Caroline Wills hopes that when the ship returns to Bermuda in June 2000, that some Bermudian young people would be interested in spending a few weeks on board: "I would like Bermudians to look forward to the ships returning in June. It is very well worth it'' she told The Royal Gazette .

Anyone aged 15 to 25 is eligible. The sail is from Bermuda to Boston which will take seven to 10 days, or from Spain to Bermuda which will take 30 days (not including the flight to Spain).

Sailing aboard this ship will not only help to expand some minds, but it may also bring more visiting sailors to Bermuda and ultimately boost tourism.