COMMAND DAY
THE YOUNG ENDEAVOUR CREW COMMAND DAY BEGAN AT 0900 FRIDAY MORNING A FEW MILES SE OF GREAT KEPPEL ISLAND. FOR THE FIRSTTIME THIS VOYAGE WE FOUND OURSELVES COMPLETELY BECALMED AND UNABLE TO MAKE SAIL – THE FIRST TWIST OF MANY WE WOULD ENCOUNTER THROUGHOUT THE DAY. THE CREW, BEING THE RESOURCEFUL BUNCH THEY ARE, WERE MORETHAN HAPPY TO USE THE TIME FOR SOME WELL EARNED REST AND RECOUPERATION AS WELL AS COMPLETING A NUMBER OF ADDITIONAL CHALLENGESSET BY THE STAFF. SOME OF THESE TASKS INVOLVED CLIMBING ALOFT, A PARTICULARLY ARTISTIC MURAL DESIGN AND A YOUTH CREW ORGANISED VERSION OF THE MORNING ‘ROPE RACES’. THE ELECTED CHEFS WERE FANTASTIC IN THEIR ROLES KEEPING THE ENTIRE SHIP SPECTACULARLY WELL FED AND EVEN BRINGING UP SOME EXTRA TREATS FOR THE CREW TIME TOTIME. BY MID-AFTERNOON WE WERE FINALLY ABLE TO SET SAILS AND MOTOR SAIL FURTHER OUT TO SEA ACHIEVING THE FIRST 2 TARGET WAYPOINTS. SOON AFTER REACHING THESE, WE TURNED THE ENGINES OFF AND CONTINUED OUR COURSE BOUND FOR GLADSTONE. OVERNIGHT WE HAD A SERIES OF MANOEUVRES NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE OUR FINAL DESTINATION WITHIN THE SET TIMEFRAME.IT WAS GENUINELY INSPIRING TO SEE ALL THE CREW PULL TOGETHER AND FUNCTION SO EFFECTIVELY AS A TEAM, OFFERING ONLY ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR EACH OTHER THE ENTIRE TIME. A LITTLE AFTER SUNRISE ONSATURDAY MORNING WE ARRIVED IN GLADSTONE JUST OUTSIDE OUR TARGET WINDOW WITH AN EXHAUSTED BUT EXTREMELY PROUD YOUTH CREW. THE SHIP WAS THEN CEREMONIOUSLY HANDED BACK TO THE STAFF CREW AT 0800.UPON ARRIVAL AT GLADSTONE WE WERE GIVEN THE PRIVILEGE OF TAKING A GROUP OF LOCAL YOUTHS FOR A SAIL ON THE BAY. THE CREW REALLY SEEMEDTO ENJOY THIS ASPECT OF THE VOYAGE BEING ABLE TO SHOW OFF ‘OUR’ SHIP TO THE VISITORS AND IMPART TO THEM SOME OF THE SKILLS WE HAVE LEARNED AND REFINED OVER THE PAST 8 DAYS. BY YOUTH CREW CAPTAIN STEVE.YOURS AYEBRENTON WITTLIEUTENANT COMMANDERCAPTAIN STS YOUNG ENDEAVOUR
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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