Captain's Log

V07/15

11 January 2015

SUNDAY ROUTINE

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to day 11 of our voyage. Overnight the wind freshened and under a full press of sail we have been able to achieve speeds of 8-9kts so I am very happy with the distance travelled over the past 24hrs.

Being a Sunday Routine, the emphasis on the day has been rest and relaxation and I believe most of the crew have been able to achieve this. Of course their have been interruptions to this rest with the requirement to set and hand in sail as well as a nice size tuna to be landed but all in all I think that the crew have enjoyed their Sunday.

As I write this Log our World Voyagers are all rugged up lying out on the midships deck enjoying a movie under the stars.

Currently we are located 1075nm SE of Rio sailing under a full press of sail and enjoying strong 20-25kt NW winds with a 2m NNE swell.

Quickly writing tonightâ€™s Log prior to sitting down to watch the movie is Blue Watch please enjoy.

Until tomorrow, take care

Yours Aye
Captain Gav

Hi there avid blog readers, welcome to tonightâ€™s Blue Watch edition of the Young Endeavour Daily post.

This morningâ€™s awakening onboard was unlike any other experienced so far on our voyage â€“ missing out on the usual morning song blaring over the PA. Instead we were privy to a subtle shake and â€œget up if you want breakfastâ€.

The reason for the subdued wake-up call was that today was a resting day and the remaining crew stayed in bed â€“ with no morning brief or â€œHappy Hourâ€ allocated for Sunday. As a result the day has been fairly laid back â€“ with people taking the opportunity to recharge their batteries with people sleeping, reading and hanging out on deck and in the galley when not on watch.

Aside from the daily tasks, the crew is excited that the wind speeds have increased and we have started heading towards Tristan Da Cunha Island. While there is every chance that we may not be able to make landing on the island due to weather conditions, there is much excitement about the prospect of visiting an isolated island of only 300 inhabitants in the middle of the Atlantic.

Today also marks the first day for many of our voyage in the journey of Movember. For those unfamiliar with the month-long attempt to grow respectable facial hair â€“ it is an opportunity for mo-bros to start the month clean-shaven and grow moustaches (all types and varieties) in an attempt to raise both funds for and awareness of menâ€™s health issues. More details (and hopefully images) will follow regarding this and the crew members involved. Best of luck to all those participating, may your fuzz grow thick.

The writer of the Log was upset to just realise that during his afternoon nap, the crew benefited once again from the amazing muffin-cooking skills of Louisa and friends in the galley. This added to the already outstanding array of food had for the day which included our first fresh fish of the trip (a Tuna hauled in by Jarrod). This was expertly turned into sashimi just in time for dinner by Jenko in the galley.

All in all, a pretty relaxing day on board the Young Endeavour, with everyone enjoying a pleasant day at sea. This eveningâ€™s plan is to watch a movie on the deck as the crew set up a projector and tarp under the stars.

Bon night.

Shout outs

Hey Mum, Dad, Monique, Sam, Jesse, Jacqui and all my other family and friends! I am doing really well out here, and loving every minute of it, from climbing atop the foremast at 4 am to sea furl a sail to running around in the galley pretending to know how to cook things. Love you and miss you all, Nathan.

Hey Di and the Fam, enjoying the trip, looking forward to cape town, Lots of love, Mike

Hey all, Loving it here, trying to make the most of it. If youâ€™re reading these and havenâ€™t done a voyage before you should apply. Missing you all, hopefully we get to Potato island! Zoe

HEY FAM BAM. Life is sweet on the seas, enjoying the views and sunshine. And the food!!!! Hope everything is great, just thought Iâ€™d pop by and let you know Iâ€™m doing good! Much love, Katie poo.

Hey my lovely family! I hope all is well and I just thought I would let you know I am loving being back at sea! I hope you have been looking after my babies and the veggie patch has been watered! Jess

Latitude/Longitude:

34 degrees 52 minutes South / 28 degrees 21 minutes West

Conditions:

Currently we are located 1075nm SE of Rio sailing under a full press of sail and enjoying strong NW winds with a 2m NNE swell. Our current speed is 7kts and the temperature is 15 degrees.

AUTHOR: Commanding Officer STS Young Endeavour

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Day 10 – Community Day Sail Sydney Harbour

Good evening shipmates, After a well-earned quality night’s sleep at anchor in Hunters Bay, Sail Master Sara woke us with another of her soothing tunes to get us on deck for a quick early morning activity. After breakfast the staff crew weighed anchor and conducted the transit to HMAS Waterhen, at Waverton. We berthed there at 0900 and prepared to embark our guests for the Community Day Sail. At 1015 we cast off our berthing lines and departed with our 34 guests and commenced our 3 hour tour of the harbour. Our Community Day Sailors were a group 30 members and staff from the Windgap Foundation. We also embarked some defence personnel as well. We again passed under the Harbour Bridge and then proceeded into Rose Bay where we set some sails and commenced sailing back towards Waterhen. Whilst on the harbour our fantastic youth crew helped us host our Windgap special guests. They encouraged our guests to participate in setting the staysails and a square sail by helping to pull on the sheets and clewlines. The youth crew also helped Chef Ash to prepare and deliver the food to our guests on deck. At 1300, after 3 fun-packed hours on the harbour, we berthed back at the southern wharf at HMAS Waterhen. Once we had farewelled our guests it was time to commence our end-of-voyage activities and preparations. The staff crew managed to organise a visit to the RAN Ship MATV Sycamore, which is crewed by a mixture of civilians and Navy staff, is a multi-role aviation training vessel. The youth crew embarked with their watch leaders and were given a 45 minute tour of the ship by some of the Navy crew. On completion they returned onboard and Young Endeavour sailed and proceeded to our anchorage in Athol Bay, which affords a great view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. During the transit to the anchorage the Youthies undertook their end-of-voyage chats, facilitated by their watch leaders, to examine if they had achieved everything in their full-value contracts they had completed at the start of the voyage. After the traditional last voyage dinner of home made pizzas, Sara gave the Youthies the Harbour Furl brief, who then donned their climbing harnesses and laid aloft to undertake the ‘Harbour Furl’ of the square sails to make them look immaculate for our ceremonial arrival at the end of the voyage tomorrow. Once that was completed, the youth crew then finished off their final outstanding Command Day tasks, which were planned for the last night onboard. These included the Voyage Slide Show compiled of photos taken by everyone. This was excellent and provided a touching reminder of what we had experienced and the beautiful coastlines and islands that we had visited during the voyage. The final activity of the day was the end-of-voyage administration, which for the youth crew included a feedback questionnaire asking for feedback on their experience of the voyage, as well as a letter for each crew member to write to themselves on their experiences during the voyage, which the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme will post to the youth crew in 6 months time. The aim of this is to help reinforce what the youth crew have learned about leadership, teamwork and about themselves from the experience of the voyage. Once these were completed the crew were encouraged to go to bed. The Ship will remain in Athol Bay overnight and weigh anchor and sail in the morning at 0900 and undertake the transit to HMAS Waterhen, where family and friends will meet the Ship on arrival at 1000. Until you hear from me tomorrow for the final instalment of Voyage 04/24. Yours aye, Captain Mike

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Day 9 – Command Day Part 2

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Thank you Tarvi, Kaeden and Matt for your narrative of today's events. Intentions are to remain at anchor in Hunters Bay, just off HMAS Penguin, home of the RAN Diving School, a place close to my heart, having spent many a day there under training as a young Officer! The plan is to weigh anchor and proceed to HMAS Waterhen, in Waverton, to pick up our Community Day Sailors from the Windgap Foundation and take them for a sail around the harbour for 3 hours. The Youth Crew will help us host our visitors and give them an experience of Young Endeavour. We will drop them back to Waverton and then proceed to anchor in the harbour where we will have a good view of the Bridge and the Opera House for the Youth Crew's last night onboard. Until tomorrow. Yours Aye, Captain Mike

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