Royal Gazette deputy chief photographer Tamell Simons was on board Spirit of Bermuda?s maiden voyage ? although snapping pictures on the high seas was far from straightforward.

?Trying to take still images on a vessel that at times was bouncing and moving non-stop was a challenge,? said Tamell.

?At the same time, working in close quarters with sailors and ropes and a crew of 32 other people running around, it?s hard not to be in the way so you don?t get knocked overboard.?

As the crew member with the least ocean experience, he said it wasn?t easy adapting to the rigours of life on the waves. And shift-work sent his sleep patterns ?all over the place?.

?Holding down food was a challenge,? he added. ?But after a day or two I settled down.?

Tamell was part of a eight-man team whose responsibilities included hoisting a sail, navigating, cleaning or simply keeping watch for other boats. ?There wasn?t much time to rest,? he recalled.

The photographer, who was also in charge of Spirit?s media plan while filing daily updates and pictures on the sloop?s progress, took plenty of shots documenting the historic trip. He was pleased with the results, and said he enjoyed looking back through the pictures with his family and ?re-living the experience?.

He praised the atmosphere on board among a crew from a variety of backgrounds, from teachers and sportsmen to students and experienced sailors.

?Getting home safely was the only thing that mattered. It was nice to see people from all walks of life just pull together. That summed up in my mind the spirit of Bermuda.?

Would he go again? ? I wouldn?t do it tomorrow,? admitted Tamell, who offered photography lessons to crew who showed an interest. ?But I would definitely do it again.?