Melissa Churchouse and her friends are counting down the days until she sets sail to the Kermadec Islands aboard the HMNZS Canterbury.
Melissa, 16, will help tag sharks, sample dolphin DNA and monitor plankton as part of the inaugural Young Blake Expedition.
She is the only Wanganui student going on the 11-day trip, run by the Sir Peter Blake Trust as a way for students to follow in Sir Peter's footsteps.
Melissa said she is so excited about the expedition that she has already started packing, even though the group does not leave for more than a week.
"I can't stop thinking about it ... I've got gear all over my room. It sounded like an awesome opportunity," she said.