His big grin gleamed from the newspaper. The cheeky face of Hamish Rieger, a young man who sailed with Nic Charrington, the first mate, second in command on the Spirit of Adventure sail training ship for teens.

'I thought, ‘Yeah I remember that smile'. He had a great smile.”

But with the photograph, came shocking news. The newspaper article was recording the sudden and tragic loss of the 17-year-old.

The Mount Maunganui Lifeguard was snatched by a rogue wave at the end of Moturiki (Leisure) Island on January 23, 2016, and taken out to sea.

Less than a day later, Hamish's body was found by dozens of surf lifesavers who joined the search for one of their own.

'I remember reading the paper and realising he was on our voyage,” says Nic. 'I remember getting on really well with him. I remember him being very smiley. He seemed to be just enjoying life.”

Hamish boarded the Spirit of Adventure with Nic on August 3-12, 2015, as part of a Youth Development Programme. Next month, the ship's five-day trophy voyage will leave Auckland a day early for a special arrival to Tauranga on June 4 in honour of Hamish.

The ship is expected to arrive in time for the Mount Joggers and Walkers Half Marathon. It is the second of 12 half-marathons that Hamish's parents Donna and Greg plan to complete in an effort to raise funds for the ‘I Ride With Hame' project, which creates scholarships for the Spirit of Adventure Trust.

Nic says Hamish made the most of the opportunity onboard the Spirit, getting stuck into the programme from day one.

'Kids don't turn out like that on their own. Every now and then you meet a kid and think, ‘You're pretty cool' and then you think, ‘Your parents must be too'.

'I just want to say to Donna and Greg, ‘You guys did a good job'.

'His energy was awesome, I never saw him struggle, and he bonded well with the trainees.”

Donna and Greg set up the ‘I Ride With Hame' project in honour of their son, who came back from the voyage with a new outlook on life. He started what he called the ‘health train' which included a decision to run a half-marathon – a dream his parents are now finishing for him 12 times over.

'We've always said from the word go this would be a pay-back to the Spirit,” says Hamish's father Greg. 'What Hamish got out of the Spirit was being even more determined than what he was when he went in.”

Hamish was selected for the programme by his then Year 12 dean at Mount Maunganui College, Jenny Harray.

'He was my first pick. Hamish was a bit of a larrikin, but a loveable one. He had huge potential.

'I just thought, if not leadership potential, Hamish had something in him that if he was given the chance he would take it.”

Jenny says the difference when Hamish returned was amazing. 'I've never seen anyone have such a wonderful time and grow so much from one opportunity.

'He was a different person when he returned – still the Hamish we all know and love, overlaid with a young man who had learned about himself, had tested his limits and realised he was capable of amazing things, had supported and protected his new friends, had taken on leadership roles, and had worked as a part of a group that had started a journey as strangers.

'He came back quite reflective about himself, people, life and future opportunities.”

The Spirit of Adventure, a three-masted barquentine, was commissioned in 1986 and today undertakes an annual programme of about 340 days at sea.

Voyage coordinator Rachael Mitchell says the ship has been on 42 different sailings in and out of Tauranga since the year 2000, the last time in August 2012.

Its mission is to empower young Kiwis, aged 16-18, to reach their full potential while at sea.

On board, trainees take part in both land and water-based activities including learning to sail the luggers, beach cleaning, tramping trips ashore, hoisting and setting very large and heavy sails, as well as opportunities to run the ship.

The Spirit of Adventure Trust relies on donations, sponsorships, grants and public donations to assist with the financing of its operation. The Trust has financial scholarships available for those who meet the ship's criteria.

Visit www.spiritofadventure.org.nz/voyages/voyage/10-day-development for more information.

To support the ‘I Ride With Hame' fundraiser, donate direct to ASB 12-3011-0461607-52. All funds go towards the Spirit of Adventure Trust.

All surf lifesaving clubs have been invited to don their club shirts during the Mount Joggers and Walkers Half Marathon on June 4 as a tribute to Hamish.

Donna and Greg's next half-marathon is the Mount Maunganui Half-Marathon on August 26, which they're calling Hamish's Birthday Bash. They're also planning another half-marathon in Auckland in July.

To join the Riegers by doing any of the 12 half-marathons, contact Greg via the Facebook page ‘I Ride With Hame'.