Lynn News photographer Paul Tibbs enjoyed a high seas adventure, spending a week on assignment aboard tall ship the ‘Earl of Pembroke’.

The King’s Lynn-based snapper joined a crew of 12 along with five passengers on a voyage to mark 250 years since the birth of local seafarer Captain George Vancouver.

The voyage began at Charlestown in Cornwall, and six days later Paul and his shipmates sailed into Boal Quay in King’s Lynn for the start of the town’s Captain Vancouver Festival.

Paul said: “What a fantastic opportunity to spend a week aboard a ship like this.

“Normally I would only have been able to cover this as she arrived but I got the whole journey to cover as a photo essay. It was dream come true.”

During the trip Paul captured everyday life aboard the ship, including pictures of eight crew members climbing the mast (above) to stow away the sails, and one brave crew member climbing the foremast to change a lightbulb.

Paul also shot video footage between Charlestown and Cowes on the Isle of Wight, for the paper’s website www.lynnnews.co.uk.

Paul said one of his favourite parts of the trip was a storm on day five of the voyage between the Thames Estuary and Southwold, off the Suffolk coast.

He said: “It was pouring with rain, windy and dark and we had a 360 degrees lightning display, it was brilliant.

“Unfortunately it was far too dangerous to even attempt to use the camera on deck!”

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