A LANGCLIFFE woman who was born and bred by the sea has joined the crew of a tall ship to raise funds for the Mission to Seafarers charity.

Ann Harding of White Cottage, has signed up for the Mission's maritime museums voyage from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

The voyage is part of SeaBritain 2005, a year-long celebration of the country's maritime heritage, and in celebration of the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.

The trip, between September 28 and October 6, includes visits to historic ships, museums and maritime heritage centres in both ports.

Last March, Kettlewell vicar Michael Heslop took part in a Mission trip on a tall ship around the Canary Islands.

Under the guidance of the tall ship's permanent crew of 10, Ann and 30 others will help sail the Jubilee Sailing Trust's three-masted barque Tenacious, the largest wooden tall ship of her kind in the world.

She is specially designed so that able-bodied and physically disabled people can enjoy the adventure of offshore sailing.

Ann, 41, who promotes business training in North Yorkshire for Craven College and Tyro Training, is expecting to climb the rigging to haul in the sails, take the helm and lend a hand in the galley.

"I grew up by the sea at Rockcliffe in south west Scotland. In fact, the sea was so close it used to come into the front garden at high tide," she explained.

"Because of being so close to the sea I was aware of The Mission to Seafarers and the support it gives, so when I saw a write up in the Craven Herald about the voyage I decided to go for it.

"While in Rockcliffe I sailed from Oban and around the islands with the Ocean Youth Club on a three-masted schooner and always wanted to experience a trip on a tall ship.

"I know for certain I do not suffer from seasickness and even enjoy it more when the sea is rough," she added.

In order to raise the necessary £1,800 towards the charity, Ann will be holding a series of events which will include bric-a-brac sales, barbecues and a pirate evening.

She is even thinking about organising a walking-the-plank activity at local shows.

In her spare time Ann is a member of Settle Amateur Operatic Society and Take One theatre group. She also works part time at the Harts Head Hotel, in Giggleswick.

The Mission to Seafarers, formerly the Mission to Seamen, is 150 years old next year and cares for seafarers of all nationalities and faiths in 230 ports worldwide and runs seafarers' centres in 100 major ports, including 21 in the UK.

Working through a network of chaplains and staff, on average it makes 71,400 ship visits each year and welcomes 602,000 seafarers to its centres, visits 900 seafarers in hospital and helps in around 1,000 justice and welfare cases.

Picture by Stephen Garnett