Bi-weekly · Commencing 15 February 2027
Training voyages — Barbados · Dominica · Barbados
A fortnightly working passage carrying fresh and chilled produce, run as a seagoing classroom in food handling and cargo stowage. RUTH slips Bridgetown Careenage every second Saturday at 1600, comes alongside Portsmouth, Dominica at 0600 Monday, and is away again at 1600 on the Tuesday — back alongside Barbados at 0600 Thursday, discharging from 0800. All distances and estimated times are calculated on a 5-knot average passage speed.
5 kn
Average passage speed
184.0 nm
Each way, great circle
1 d 13 h
Passage time each way
Dressed overall
Barbados at the masthead
A tallship greets a port the old way: colours flown from masthead to yardarm. Barbados rides at the top, and below her the islands she trades with and the maritime partners who sail with the programme.
On a Dominica passage that is the Eastern Caribbean laid out in bunting — the same ports of call the island trading schooners worked a century ago.
Passage plan
The run, leg by leg
| Leg | Course | Distance | At 5 kn |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgetown Careenage, Barbados → Portsmouth, Dominica | 324°T | 184.0 nm | 36.8 h |
| Portsmouth, Dominica → Bridgetown Careenage, Barbados | 144°T | 184.0 nm | 36.8 h |
Great-circle distance between Bridgetown Careenage (13.098°N, 59.617°W) and Portsmouth (15.583°N, 61.467°W). Estimated times assume a steady 5 kn made good and are subject to weather, sea state and the Master's discretion. All times are Atlantic Standard Time (UTC−4).
Sailing list
Fortnightly departures
Voyage 01
Saturday, 20 February 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 20 Feb 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 22 Feb 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 22 Feb → 1600 Tue 23 Feb
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 23 Feb 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 25 Feb 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 02
Saturday, 6 March 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 6 Mar 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 8 Mar 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 8 Mar → 1600 Tue 9 Mar
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 9 Mar 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 11 Mar 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 03
Saturday, 20 March 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 20 Mar 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 22 Mar 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 22 Mar → 1600 Tue 23 Mar
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 23 Mar 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 25 Mar 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 04
Saturday, 3 April 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 3 Apr 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 5 Apr 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 5 Apr → 1600 Tue 6 Apr
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 6 Apr 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 8 Apr 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 05
Saturday, 17 April 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 17 Apr 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 19 Apr 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 19 Apr → 1600 Tue 20 Apr
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 20 Apr 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 22 Apr 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 06
Saturday, 1 May 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 1 May 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 3 May 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 3 May → 1600 Tue 4 May
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 4 May 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 6 May 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 07
Saturday, 15 May 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 15 May 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 17 May 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 17 May → 1600 Tue 18 May
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 18 May 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 20 May 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Voyage 08
Saturday, 29 May 2027 · 1600
367.9 nm round trip · alongside 1 d 10 h in Portsmouth
Depart Bridgetown Careenage
Sat, 29 May 2027, 16:00
324°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Portsmouth, Dominica
Mon, 31 May 2027, 06:00
36.8 h at 5 kn, scheduled 0600
Cargo & training alongside
0600 Mon 31 May → 1600 Tue 1 Jun
Loading, cold chain drills, inspections
Depart Portsmouth
Tue, 1 Jun 2027, 16:00
144°T · 184.0 nm
ETA Bridgetown Careenage
Thu, 3 Jun 2027, 06:00
Alongside to discharge from 0800
Voyage duration
4 d 14 h
Dock to dock
Syllabus
What trainees work on
Cold chain at sea
Reefer box discipline, temperature logging, pre-cooling, ice and ventilation for chilled cargo on a working deck.
Stowage and securing
Crate planning, dunnage, weight distribution, trim and lashing for a schooner in an open-ocean swell.
Food handling standards
Hygiene, segregation, crate rotation, spoilage checks and receiving paperwork at both ends of the run.
Blue-water passage making
Watchkeeping, chartwork and landfall procedure across the open channel between Barbados and Dominica.
RUTH is a dry ship. She is a youth training vessel, so no alcohol is carried, served or permitted aboard — on these voyages or on any coastal cruise.
Berths and cargo space
Trainee berths and produce consignments on these voyages are arranged directly with the programme. Growers, shippers and sponsors are welcome to discuss the fortnightly run.