All aboard for the Kermadecs

The excitement and anticipation is written all over Olivia Jay and Patricia Harrison's faces. Like children waiting for Christmas, these two young women couldn't wait to board the HMNZS Canterbury and set sail for the Kermadec Islands.

Hamilton News caught up with the pair before they left port on Wednesday for the 12-day expedition.

Olivia, of Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, and Hillcrest High School's Patricia have joined 28 other young voyagers from around the country as part of the Young Blake Expedition, run by the Sir Peter Blake Trust.

The students will embark with 26 crew members, including scientists, marine and environmental experts, Blake leaders and TVNZ crew who will be filming a piece about the trip for the current affairs show Sunday.

The selection process for the Kermadecs expedition began in April when Olivia and Patricia attended the Youth EnviroLeaders Forum, also run by the Sir Peter Blake Trust. It was there that they were observed by chaperones for their ability to work alongside others, for their leadership skills and their passion for the environment.

"We also had to write a report about our aspirations for the future, what we gained from the forum and who else we felt should be selected for the trip," says Patricia.

During the trip the students will take part in shark tagging, dolphin DNA sampling and foliage collection research. And Olivia and Patricia, both 17, clearly can't wait. Bubbling with excitement, they are enthusiastic about working alongside scientists and researchers.

Olivia, especially, is keen to pick the TVNZ cameraman's brain as she plans on studying filmmaking when she finishes school at the end of the year.

She believes film is an effective way to inspire people; particularly young people who, she feels, are receptive to that type of media.

"I went along to the forum wondering how I could get people inspired about the environment and I realised it's about getting them to experience it, getting them to enjoy it, getting them to see the beauty so they can feel passionate about it," says Olivia.

While Patricia hasn't yet decided what she'd like to do when she leaves school, she is certain that it will be centered on the environment and sustainability. She shares Olivia's passion, and it's most evident when she talks about a snorkelling trip she took during the forum to the Poor Knights Islands. Her eyes widen and she talks a mile-a-minute about the breath-taking beauty of the marine reserve.

Follow the students' progress on their blog: www.sirpeterblaketrust.org/kermadecs-expedition/the-expedition-blog.