At Anchor, Cape Upstart

Overnight YOUNG ENDEAVOUR continued to make good ground towards Townsville along the Great Barrier Reef Inner Route shipping lane. We passed several merchant ships as we ran before the wind, and practiced our sail handling overnight.As the sun came up, we glimpsed our first blue skies, and Cape Upstart, the imposing headland in between Ayr and Bowen. The morning brief extravaganza involved a special role play explaining the origins of the term ���two six heave��. Thanks to Ella ��� a woman of high calibre!Following a thorough happy hour (to make up for yesterday’s beach visit), the youth crew witnessed tacking stations from the Bridge. The vantage point of the bridge allows the whole ship to be monitored during the tack. The aim of the demonstration is primarily to show how we make the ship turn rapidly though the wind by deliberately unbalancing the ship. After lunch, the youth crew demonstrated their competencies in setting and furling various sails. This important activity ensures that they are safe to conduct Command Day, and is a significant achievement from a group of young Australians, many of whom had never sailed before.We came to anchor near Cape Upstart mid afternoon, and were led in deck games by Ian (Pommy) who is on exchange from the UK Sail Training Association. Ian is one of two exchange students whom sail in YOUNG ENDEAVOUR each year, and we are fortunate to send two of our former youth crew on exchange to the UK to conduct similar voyages on their tall ships.Tonight the youth crew have elected their command team, and tomorrow we will hand the ship over to them for their challenge of sailing the ship from here to Magnetic Island, near Townsville. I have utmost confidence they will achieve their aim, but more importantly that they will find the 24 hours demanding, challenging and ultimately very very rewarding.Yours AyePhil GadenLieutenant, RANRQUOTE’My grandfather once told me there were two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition.’ Indira GandhiYouth Crew Captains Ben and BrookeAs new captains of the ship for the next 24 hrs we will be leading our crew of democratically elected officers and sailors, working together to safely sail from anchor at Cape Upstart to tropical Magnetic Island, while completing a series of challenges set by the staffies. Over the past 5 days we have learnt all that we need to know to take command of Young Endeavour, and with teamwork, commitment, courage and trust in our new found friends we strive to achieve our goals and collect as many points along the way as we can.