ANOTHER GREAT DAY IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC

Hi everyone,

Welcome to day 9 of our voyage. As forecast the wind backed to the NNE overnight which has enabled us now to commence heading ESE and pick up our planned track for the rest of our passage to Cape Town. Depending on the weather conditions I am sure this will change but at the moment I am very happy with our progress and the forecast for the next 7 days.

With the sun shining we have managed to progress with a number of activities with the most important for the day being Three Way Chats. This activity gives everyone the chance to mix with other watch members so that we all learn a little more about each other and I have to say the World Voyagers of Passage 7 are an extremely interesting bunch.

Given the clear sky’s Evan our Navigator has been busy instructing those that are interested how to do Celestial Navigation, so as I write this part of the log tonight a number of the crew are out there with the ships sextants shooting up stars and working out the ship’s position.

Tomorrow being a Saturday we have decided to run a Saturday Routine which means that we will only program activities for the morning then give those that aren’t on watch the afternoon off which I am sure everyone will enjoy.

At the moment we are located 760nm SE of Rio enjoying moderate NNE winds with a relatively small swell. During the next couple of days the wind should back further to the NW which will enable us to set the squares and hopefully put the ship under a full press of sail which I know that the World Voyagers are eager to do.

Doing a great job of writing tonight’s Captains Log is Red Watch so please enjoy!

Until tomorrow, take care.

Yours Aye

Captain Gav

Captains log 30 Oct 15

Good evening and welcome to Red Watch’s Captain’s Log for Friday the 30th of October. We were keenly awoken at 0700 by “Walking on Sunshine” which tipped us out of our racks and perpetuated slightly inflated expectations as to the temperatures up on deck! After breakfast we gathered for morning brief… in what is becoming an increasingly comfortable routine, the entire complement of the ship meets at 0900 on the port side of the bridge for an overview of the day’s plan and a varied selection of special treats and frivolity. Overnight the winds had swung North allowing us to sail a more direct course to South Africa.. it felt good.

Along with the Navigator’s update and some wise words from our Captain, the mornings brief was made very special by Dougie on his flute, his beautiful playing accompanied with a brief musical history lesson that left us all in awe, wanting more… HOWEVER! Our interlude of peace and serenity was smashed with the announcement of an impending crisis.. A crisis! Adam, our brave sail-master, proceeded gravely to warn us of a possible shortage of pegs on board! With the day shaping up to be a fine washing day, this caused consternation and great distress amongst young and old alike. Shocked faces turned to one another…. No pegs, they said!!? Liam and Leighroy were particularly concerned about the shortage of pegs aboard Young Endeavour… Quickly, a plan was formulated to recapture all remaining pegs and, with them, the sailors’ hopes of freshly laundered underwear. After our peg census was complete, the day regained a degree of normality…the chaos and calamity slowly calming and we proceeded with the day’s program.

Our glorious afternoon was spent in a long game of Three Way Chats… We’d been grouped in threes in the morning, mixing up watches and tasked with getting to know each of our group’s members intimately. The afternoon then involved us introducing ourselves as one of our group, telling each others’ stories for the rest of the crew… We spent a lovely few hours hearing of each other’s lives, families, quirks and joys under a bright blue sky and brisk breeze… strangely and wonderfully a new little community afloat in the blue of the Atlantic Ocean. When Captain Gav asked of us “Where would you rather be, in this moment?”… At that moment probably not many other places.

Again we spend another evening with full bellies of scrumptious fare with many thanks to Chef Jenko and his helpers for the day: Yuri, Nicole and Mark.

Red Watch is currently on watch enjoying the pretty sunset passing behind some distant clouds. It is a pleasant 15 degrees with a moderate breeze from the North. We are being followed by dancing, wheeling petrels and albatrosses, silhouetted against the glow. Below decks the non watch-keeping World Voyagers are playing cards, reading, listening to music or virtuously throwing themselves into sailing skills and the learning of new knots. It is a very pleasant vessel to be a member of at the moment… Over and out!

Red Watch.

Shout outs;

Hey Tozey’s, I’m alive & sunburnt. But mostly alive. Love and miss you, Em x

Hey everyone back in Australia! I’m having an amazing time and I miss you all! Mum the moon looks awesome over the ocean at night! Hi HAMISH! Lots of Love, Oscar

Happy birthday for tomorrow Uncle Rod! Give my love to everyone, especially Grandma. I miss everyone so much! Love Katy