The FInal day of an amazing voyage

Ahoy there Shipmates, Tim awoke the Youth Crew at 0630 with yet another hit from a forgotten era and everyone came up on deck for the last early morning activity. Tim had quite a treat in store for the Youthies, they had not realised it but over the last 10 days they had learnt some crazy dance moves, so the deck was soon heaving with some crazy disco era dancing. After everyone had the blood flowing once more, they went below to have some breakfast, shower and sadly to pack their bags. It was however a happy Youth Crew that mustered on the port side of the bridge for the final time. With a final presentation from Caitlin the Nav, Paige the Salty Sea Dog and a poem and then a quote from myself. The Youthies went below once more to do a final clean of the ship in preparation for the next Youth Crew to join the ship in 4 days time. We departed the marina at 0900 and started to make our way up the Brisbane River for a short harbour cruise. The Youth Crew then manned the yards in the ancient ritual as a sign of peace and good intentions (see below for an explanation). All to soon the time had come to turn around and return to the marina. After a quick flyby and the firing of the cannons we came alongside the marina for the last time at 1000 to some very welcoming family and friends. Once the Youth crew were down from the yards there was a farewell ceremony conducted at midships and then we said goodbye to our new shipmates and friends. It has been a very important voyage for me as I was not only saying farewell to the Youth Crew but I was also saying farewell to the ship. After 27 voyagers as a Staff Crew member, 6 of those in command. The time has come for me to step aside and let the next generation of Staff Crew guide the future Youth Crew down their own personal journey. It has been a pleasure to dedicate the last two and a half years of my life to helping to facilitate a voyage of a life time for 671 young Australians. There has been no greater honour then to help each and everyone of them through 11 amazing days at sea on a tall ship. As I now walk the empty passage ways of the ship, there are no longer the echo’s of laughter and high jinks. The ship has lost an important part of what makes it whole, it feels lonely without a Youth Crew to sail her. For the final time, live, let live and be merry CAPT Matt A journey is best measured in friends rather then miles. Tim Cahill How lucky am I to have had something so good that makes saying goodby so hard Winnie the Poo The true reward of a journey of discovery is not the destination, but the realisation that you now look upon the world in a different way. Matthew Warren People travel for a lot of reasons. They fly all around the world, from one tourist attraction to the next. You always see them rushing about, always rushing. You cant rush a tall ship. By its very nature you need to work with the ship, to work with the weather. Sometimes you drift with the currents, other times you battle against squalls, but always working with the ship, the crew and the weather. For where we go one we go all. Myself I travel to find out what it is over the horizon that makes the sunrise so damn beautiful. Matthew Warren Manning the Yards Back in the days of old when a sailing merchant ship entering port was a great occasion the people of a port used to come down to the quay and see what great delights and luxuries they might be able to acquire before they were all sold out (Just picture the boxing day sales). However not everyone was willing to go the long yards for a legitimate piece of eight and sometimes a pirate ship would sail into port all innocent like and then as the people came down to the quay they would roll out their cannons and threaten to shot the town up unless a ransom was paid. Towns folk being good at protecting what was theirs since back in the days of Kane and Able felt that some shore defences would prevent such an issue and as such they built shore batteries of guns to protect the harbour. They then made an approaching ship run out her guns and then send everyone that was not required to man the ship to bring her alongside aloft to man the rigging. Those left on deck would then fire off the guns to prove that they were empty. With all the gunners and idlers aloft there was no one to man the guns and the ship was then approved to enter the port. So on the last day of a voyage we have the Youth Crew man the yards and then as a final salute to our port of entry we fire off our cannons to symbolise the friendship and good intent of Young Endeavour.