Almost Command Day

Ahoy there Shipmates,Overnight the ship continued motor-sailing towards Noosa. The wind gradually fluctuated in direction and strength during the night but allowed the watches to continue practising setting and furling whilst the Ship maintained the required speed of advance to arrive at our intended anchorage in Laguna Bay, Noosa. Allan and I commenced Captain’s Setting and Furling Drills at 0700 which enable us to evaluate each watch’s ability to safely set and furl sails, without staff present. This is a requirement before progressing to Command Day. All three watches passed the assessment. While they were still on a high after their success in the morning assessment, I gave the youth crew my Captain’s challenge, which was to set all the square and fore-and-aft sails, without any input from staff, within one hour. This they just fell short of completing within the available time. We then anchored the Ship in Laguna Bay as the wind was strengthened to 15 kn from the north. As we were lying at anchor head to wind the Ship rode the associated sea state comfortably. After lunch we had the daily brief followed by Happy Hour. That was followed by the next edition of Rope Races, after which the Youthies layed aloft to sea furl the square sails. We did leave the Main Gaff Topsail set to aid with stability to dampen any roll.At 1600 I briefed the youth crew on the aims and requirements of Command Day. After dinner we wished Sail Master Bagers a happy birthday, his 4th one in a row absent from loved ones! Chefs Marcus and Keely baked a brownie stack coated in a rich chocolate sauce as a birthday cake. Youth Crew then conducted their Command Day elections to select their Leadership Team for the next 24 hrs. At around 1900 we were hit by an electrical storm which had 30 kn associated winds. We put out some extra anchor cable to make sure we didn’t drag anchor. The storm lasted for about an hour.Congratulations to all members of the Youth Crew for what they have achieved in the Voyage so far and to those successful office holders for Command Day.After the elections we screened the film ‘Around Cape Horn’, which details the adventures of Captain Irving Johnson when he sailed as an ordinary seaman through storms around Cape Horn onboard the massive bark ‘Peking’.The intention is to remain in our current anchorage overnight and conduct the handover of the Ship to the Youth Crew tomorrow around midday. That will begin the adventure and challenge that is Command Day in Young Endeavour. Until tomorrow evening when we will also hear from Youth Captain Kurt Nocelli. Yours AyeCaptain Mike