AT ANCHOR HUNTERS BAY, SYDNEY

PAST 24 HOURSCOMMENTS FROM YOUTH CREWGREETINGS ALL YE LANDLUBBERSCOMMAND DAY WAS HELD FROM 1300 03SEP05 THROUGH 1300 04SEP05. DURING THIS 24 HOUR PERIOD THE YOUTH CREW WAS GIVEN CONTROL OF THE YOUNG ENDEAVOUR INCLUDING ALL COMMAND AND NAVIGATIONAL TASKS, SETTING AND CONTROL OF SAILS, PREPARATION OF MEALS AND ALL WATCHES.THE CREW WERE SET THE TASK OF SAILING (NO MOTORS EXCEPT TO WEIGHANCHOR) FROM ANCHOR AT JERVIS BAY TO 5NM OFF NORTH HEAD NEAR SYDNEY – APPROXIMATELY 80NM. POINTS COULD BE EARNED ALONG THE WAY BY PASSING OVER DEFINED WAYPOINTS AND COMPLETING NONSAILING TASKS. THE YOUTH CREW ELECTED THEIR OWN COMMAND STRUCTURE CONSISTING OF:COMMANDING OFFICER – RICHARDEXECUTIVE OFFICER – ZOEHEAD CHEF – DIONASSISTANT CHEFS – MICHAEL AND MUNKEYRED WATCH LEADER – ERICARED WATCH NAVIGATOR – ROBWHITE WATCH LEADER – WILLWHITE WATCH NAVIGATOR – MAGGIEBLUE WATCH LEADER – DANBLUE WATCH NAVIGATOR – DOMINIQUETHE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE JOURNEY RELATING TO THE SET TASKS INCLUDED:1. ACHIEVING 3 OF THE 5 SET WAYPOINTS2. RIGGING A LARGE HAMMOCK3. SINGING THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS5. ALL WATCHES REPORTING TO DUTY ON TIME6. A KIDDIES PARTY THROWN AT MCDION’S FAMILY RESTAURANT WITH BAGS OF FUN FOR ALL ATTENDING7. MAKING THE SHIP’S BELL SHINE AGAIN8. MORNING BRIEF WITH SPECIAL GUESTS NANA HONEY AND GUIDO HATSIS9. SPOTTING WHALES AND DOLPHINS10. ARRIVING AT THE FINAL DESTINATION WITH 30 SECONDS TO SPAREHOWEVER THE JOURNEY INVOLVED MUCH MORE THAN THE ABOVE – OVER THE 80 OR SO NAUTICAL MILES, ALL OF THE YOUTH CREW WERE CHALLENGED TO UTILISE THE EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE ATTAINED OVER THE PREVIOUS 8 DAYS TO BEST SAIL THE SHIP AND KEEP EVERYONE HAPPY. THE 24 HOUR PERIOD TAUGHT US MUCH ABOUT OURSELVES AND THE CHALLENGES OF LEADING AND BEING LEAD – HAVING THE CONFIDENCE TO MAKE A QUICK AND GOOD DECISION IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVING THE CONFIDENCE IN YOUR TEAM MATES TO KEEP ON WITH THE TASKS TO ALLOW YOURSELF SOME SLEEP, KEEPING EVERYONE MOTIVATED, HAPPY AND FOCUSSED. HAVING THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO MOVE FORWARD FROM MISTAKES, REINFORCING THE POSITIVES AND HAVING THE GUTS TO GIVE NECESSARY BUT UNPOPULAR ORDERS.IN ALL I AM EXTREMELY PROUD OF EVERY MEMBER OF THE YOUTH CREW FOR THEIR EFFORTS OVER THE 24 HOUR PERIOD DURING WHICH WE ALL LEARNT MUCH ABOUT THE CHALLENGES OF SUCCEEDING AS TEAMS AND AS INDIVIDUALS.EVERY MEMBER OF THE COMMAND TEAM PERFORMED VERY WELL UNDER THEPRESSURE OF MINIMAL ALLOWED PREPARATION TIME COMPOUNDED BY LIGHT WINDS FORCING US TO SAIL AS QUICKLY AS WE COULD IN THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND ABANDON PASSING SOME OF THE WAYPOINTS IN ORDER TO ARRIVE AT THE FINAL DESTINATION ON TIME.TO THE STAFF OF THE YOUNG ENDEAVOUR – I EXPRESS MY DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME OVER THE PREVIOUS TEN DAYS – FOR TEACHING US TO SAIL THE SHIP, FOR TRUSTING US TO SAIL THE SHIP WITH MINIMAL SUPERVISION AND INPUT, AND FOR TAKING US TO PLACES WE WOULD NEVER HAVE OTHERWISE BEEN. BUT MOST OF ALL YOU HAVE TAUGHT US ABOUT OURSELVES AND ABOUT HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE. THIS HAS BEEN AN EXPERIENCE WE WILL NEVER FORGET.YOURS AYERICHARDYOUTH CREW COMMANDING OFFICER FOR COMMAND DAY PS – HI ANGELA, HI MUM AND DAD – MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL.AN OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY OUR TEAM OF YOUNG ADVENTURERS IN THEIRCOMMAND DAY. THEY TACKLED ALL CHALLENGES HEAD ON AND REALLY DID SIEZE THE DAY. THE SAILING OBSERVED WAS OF AN EXCELLENT STANDARD AND NATURE AND ALL CAN BE VERY PROUD OF THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS. YOURS AYEDION CURTISLIEUTENANT, RANCAPTAIN STS YOUNG ENDEAVOUR