Sailing school for tall ships

New London - The Ocean Classroom Foundation schooner SSV Spirit of Massachusetts gets under way Wednesday from the Custom House Pier. The Spirit and fellow Ocean Classroom schooner SSV Harvey Gamage, along with the Mystic Whaler, took aboard a class of about 60 students from Greens Farms Academy in Westport for a five-day sail in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Boothbay Harbor, Maine-based schooners have come to New London to embark the annual class trip from the Westport private school for several years. The Mystic Whaler joins the Ocean Classroom schooners because the organization's third schooner, SSV Westward, is undergoing maintenance in Gloucester, Mass. The students will spend the five days learning how to sail a tall ship as well as learn other maritime knowledge.