Day 9 Command Day (Part 2)

Hi Everyone, Please find attached tonights Captains Log entry again written by Youth Crew Captain Dan, I hope you enjoy the read.Until tomorrow, take care.Yours AyeCaptain GavYouth Crew Captains Log (Part2)Captain (Danger) Dan again,When I left you yesterday we had just recovered from a few sail and helm errors that had left us in a precarious orientation at waypoint 1! After rectifying the problem by changing the sail layout the youth crew set course running down wind to waypoint 2. As was the case for the first waypoint, there were many interesting manoeuvres undertaken as the crew changed course.In the early morning the wind picked up allowing Red Watch to set all the staysails and sail the ship East at a steady 6 Knots directly to waypoint 3. Unfortunately this came at a cost because the new stronger winds came from a direction that required multiple pre-breakfast tacks (not popular with a fatigued youth crew) or a considerable extension to the planned course to avoid an island. We choose the later. As soon as we passed through waypoint 3 the wind stopped and after an hour of slow sailing the extended route option was quickly becoming less and less desirable.Luckily the Sea Gods were on our side and at 530 the wind rapidly changed direction again opening the original planned route. The navigator and sailing master were woken and after a quick consultation the ship was called to tacking stations at 600 and the youth crew performed their first and only tack (or at least non accidental tack :p ). This was done with amazing precision and very quickly the Young Endeavour was on route to the fourth and fifth waypoints. To allow a sheltered anchorage, the final waypoint was moved to Keswick Island (right next to the original target of St Bees Island).Morning brief was conducted at 900 were there was a visit from several new characters including Nanna’s Italian sister. Immediately after morning brief, the staysails were furled, the mainsail brailed and the anchor was dropped at 1000. The priority then was to complete the remaining of the 21 tasks including a youth crew party sent ashore to ���claim�� the island for the ���Youth of Australia��. At 1300 the youth crew handed control of the Young Endeavour back to the staff ending the 24 hour Command Day period. All 21 tasks had been accomplished or completed to the best of our abilities.The final component of the Command Day activities was a debrief. Before this occurred the entire crew was given a few hours to relax/sleep. The debrief activities were a reflection of the good, not so good and take away lessons of Command Day. The key take away lessons identified were self belief, keeping perspective, patience, tolerance, having fun and staying yourself.Again, a big thankyou must go out to Captain Gav and the crew of the Young Endeavour for this amazing opportunity.We will leave you with a poem and an inspiring quote written by one of the youth crew.���Flying high in the sky got the feeling of freedom that couldn’t be a lie, wings stretched like the eagle my brother knowing that it’s freedom yet I could never see my father. Even though he has pasted-away my love for him will always stay. So if you hear this quote my friend I maybe gone but this isn’t the end�����Meeting you first brought up quite a thirst not for a drink cause I will surely sink we were well met as the sun had set how could this be so fine at sea sharing a common thought about the battles we once fought leaving them behind to make up our mind.�� Take care,Captain (Danger) Dan and the youth crew of Voyage 15/2010