Kristen Greene stepped in at 16 to become the youngest watch leader aboard The Spirit of Bermuda.Now, at 17, Kristen has found his calling: a life at sea.The Bermuda Institute student has his sights set on the Master Mariners’ programme at the UK’s Warsash Maritime Academy it takes three-and-a-half years to qualify as a captain.What that means became all too clear aboard the Spirit during a Tall Ships Race from Bermuda to Charleston, South Carolina.“The boat was surrounded by water spouts, we had lightning hitting the water close to us, winds up to 85 knots, waves washing us all over the boat; I was assistant watch leader for that one, and there were a lot of sleepless nights.”Kristen participated in the “skillers” programme, an extra-curricular initiative where young Bermudians learn to work together on the Spirit and become ambassadors in overseas port cities.“It was a feeling I got when I was first aboard the Spirit for the middle school three voyage. I wanted to know more. I got put on the skiller voyage end of 2008, going 25 miles out. We saw flying fish, the dolphins jumping right up by the bow, we sighted a whale ... it’s truly different to being on the land, and the people you’re working with you become very close to.”He worked his way up to first mate in April of last year: “You’re always working when you’re aboard. Even when you’re not on watch, there are always things to do.”Kristen’s big break with the Bermuda Sloop Foundation came in the summer 2009 trip to Fairhaven, Massachusetts, where one of the crew stayed behind at maritime school and Kristen served as watch leader on the trip back home.His frequent trips to sea are not always easy on parents Kimberley and Ronnie.Kristen’s brother, Kacy, aged 11, also wants to experience life aboard The Spirit of Bermuda his 29-year-old sister Julia may get an unexpected visit in her home on Barbados. But the maritime life runs in the family.“I have two uncles, Rudy Cann and Mario Thompson, who work for Marine and Ports as pilots, and when I got interested in going to sea for a career we had a lot of conversations about the sea life, and what it takes to be out at sea for long periods.“You have to stay focused out there, because sometimes you’re going to be out there at sea for quite a while.”He has ample experience missing birthdays, at least: Kristen’s last four were spent out at sea.“It’s a way to see a whole other way of life, and some beautiful places. On the Spirit we’ve gone out to place where depth sounding doesn’t even work.“And it’s a way to see the world. After I finish my studies I would like to travel, work different boats around the world.“If you want to broaden your experience and find out what it’s like, the best way to do it is to sign up and do skiller voyages with the Sloop Foundation. It gives you a broad experience of what it’s like out there.”Managing director of Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement Jens Alers said he had interviewed Kristen with Bermuda Container Line vice president Blair Simmons and found him “profoundly suitable to take up a career at sea and as a cadet to start with”.“Once Kristen is ready to gain some sea time, we will be able to provide him with a cadet berth onboard vessels of the maritime companies which are participating in the Bermuda cadet programme,” he said.The next big step for Kristen is June 19 high school graduation.