Forty teenagers have survived a sea voyage designed to provide them with an experience they would "never, never face'' otherwise, the organisers say.
The pupils, aged between 15 and 18, were aboard Spirit of New Zealand for a 10-day leadership building exercise, Spirit of Adventure Trust communication and marketing manager Summer Jenkins said.
The boat left Nelson on January 17, and had one pupil each from Waitaki Girls' High School and St Hilda's Collegiate on board.
"They face stuff on this ship that they'd never, never face,'' Miss Jenkins said.
"The students always tell me you can't experience anything like this in any other way - it has to be on this ship.''
Those experiences included climbing a 35m mast and swimming in the sea at 6.30am, if they wanted to.
Pupils are nominated for the voyage by their schools, either as a reward or to provide them with something inspirational, she said.
A new group of 40 pupils will board the ship at 4pm for a 10-day excursion to Bluff.
The ship made 25 voyages a year and was last in Dunedin in February 2013, Miss Jenkins said.
It usually stayed in the Auckland area but made an effort to get around the country every two years, she said.
An open day for the ship will be held at Dunedin's Birch St wharf, from 9am to noon today.
