Cadet charts course to next high seas adventure

Wednesday, 14 February 2007

Maritime cadet charts course to next high seas adventure

Lounging back in a t-shirt, a pair of shorts and jandals, Tobias Forsyth can already see himself dressed in a smart white uniform, on the deck of the world’s newest luxury ocean liner, the Queen Victoria, as she embarks on her maiden voyage.

But this 20-year-old from Kaukapakapa is not merely daydreaming – his bold ambition may very well be fulfilled.

After all, Tobias has just spent the last six months on one of the world’s most famous cruise ships – the Queen Elizabeth 2, and he is set to return to the high seas once he completes a year of study at Manukau Institute of Technology’s New Zealand Maritime School.

Tobias is a navigation cadet at the school and the time he spent on the QE2 goes toward gaining seagoing experience for his Master Foreign Going certificate. He still needs to complete another six months at sea and is confident of his chances of once again being selected by luxury cruise ship operator Cunard Line, owners of QE2 and Queen Victoria, which is being launched this December.

“I believe having worked on the QE2 I have a very good chance of staying with Cunard. It would be awesome to take the Queen Victoria out of the docks when she is launched.”

While Tobias admits he was very lucky to secure the placing on the QE2, he says the experience was a dream come true. “It was just fantastic – there is no other way to describe it, being paid to travel around the world in five star luxury!”

Apart from the adventures of visiting exotic locations from the Pyramids to the Panama Canal and crossing the Atlantic Ocean six times, Tobias also gained invaluable seamanship skills, essential for his qualification, which will enable him to one day achieve his ultimate goal – captaining a large cruise ship.

“Even though I was only a cadet I was given a lot of responsibly and learnt a range of nautical skills – I also built my confidence and leadership skills.”

Tobias’ responsibilities included being on watch duty, and there were occasions where he was the only officer on the ship’s deck. “You spend a lot of time on watch keeping. My school teacher always said you won’t make any money staring out of the window all day, but I got paid doing exactly that!”

During his time on the vessel, Tobias had to often step out in a tuxedo, silk shirts and bow tie, especially when hosting high heeled guests at the captain’s dinner table.

“We attended a lot of black tie parties where I had to address 2000 people in a massive ballroom. That is quite a lot for a young guy from Kaukapakapa to handle, but being Kiwi you just take it in your stride.”

A bit of nous, leadership ability and heaps of confidence are some of the qualities Tobias says are needed for a career in seafaring. “Confidence and a willingness to learn are the main things.”

Tobias was stationed on the QE2 alongside New Zealand Maritime School marine engineering cadet Joseph Cowdell of Orewa. The pair disembarked from the ship on Sunday, 11 February, as she called in Auckland on her 25th world cruise.

Meanwhile, the vessel’s sister-ship, Queen Mary 2 visits Auckland on her first world tour with another New Zealand Maritime School navigation cadet onboard – Audi Teves of Auckland. Queen Mary 2 is the largest cruise liner ever to visit New Zealand.

The cadets joined the vessels as part of a scholarship agreement between New Zealand Maritime School and Cunard’s parent company, Carnival Corporation. Under the deal the cruise operator provides the sea-time component of the school’s programmes.

For more information on the programmes offered by New Zealand Maritime School, call 09 379 4997, or visit www.nzmaritime.com.

ENDS

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