Happy Birthday Captain John!

Situation at 20:00- Overnight we continued to make ground to the South as we shaped a course towards Platypus Bay. On watch, the Youth Crew were bust learning the different watch-on-deck responsibilities and duties such as helmsman, lookout and roundsman. There was anopportunity for several from each watch to climb aloft.At morning brief Navigator Lisa outlined the progress we had made in her where the hell are we segment. She also noted that the’Spewometer’ was reading very high. The Salty Sea Dog explained the nautical origins of the pharase ‘Hijack’. He was ably assisted in this by several of the Staff Crew suitably attired.Engineer Ragscompleted a whip around the living spaces and found a multitude of personal items left sculling by their owners. These quickly foundtheir way to his scran bag before he gleefully returned them to their rightful owners…..for a price of course. There was considerable less joviality going on during happy hour today than there was yesterday. The motion of the ocean, combined with the cleaning products encouraged several of the Youth Crew to remain on deck while the remainder finished cleaning the Ship. Morning tea consisted of a birthday cake for Captain John. The remainder of the forenoon was taken up with Rope Races. This is a competative learning activity designed to promote greater ship’s knowledge and an understanding of nautical terminology.Lunch was a terrific meal. The next activity was an exercise designed to highlight the importance of effective communications. TheYouth Crew were divided into three groups and required to communicate with one another using different mediums. This proved to be avaluable experience and good fun as well. The next item on the agenda was a visit by the ‘Zuchini Brothers’ for some Deck Olympics. Before long all hands were running back and forth acorss the ‘midships areaand working up an appetite. At 16:00 YOUNG ENDEAVOUR anchored at Platapus Bay, and there was an immediate improvement in the colour of several faces. Once supper was finished and the Cafe and Galley weresquared away, it was time for three-way talks. The Youth Crew were divided into groups of three and given 30 minutes to learn the life story of the other two members of their group. In front of the Ship’s Company, they then role play out one of their groups details (chosen for them at the last moment). This was heaps of fun and involved taking some artistic license with some of the facts.On watch tonight the Youth Crew will conduct a major team building exercise. They will be required to complete a complex task (twice) without assistance from the Staff Crew. This will require them to use cooperation, tolerance and effective communications.YOUNG ENDEAVOUR Fact File:In her fiveteen years of service, the Ship has transited several of the world’s major canals. The Corinth, Suez and the Panama canals have all seen YOUNG ENDEAVOUR pass through as she conducted her wanderings around the globe. The Ship has sailed over 230,000 nautical miles and been underway for more than 44,000 hours.YOUNG ENDEAVOUR Glossary: Stopper- A short length of line used to temporairly take the weight of a sheet, halyard or hawser until it can be turned up. Bulwark- That part of the hull that extends above the upper deck and provides protection against seas sweeping across the deck.Thought of the Day: We do not believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us something is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveals the human spirit. EE Cummings.Yours, AyeJohn CowanLCDR, RAN