CENTRAL COAST YOUTH COMPLETES HISTORIC VOYAGE

Sail Training Ship (STS) Young Endeavour has departed Sydney Harbour for the Ship’s final Australian circumnavigation.

Family and friends watched from the wharf as 24 young Australians aged 16-23 boarded the ship for their youth development voyage. During the 11-day program, these young people from all across Australia will learn the leadership, teamwork and resilience needed to sail a 44-metre long tall ship.

On board is Central Coast local, Locke Englund, who celebrated his seventeenth birthday just last week.

“I celebrated my birthday by going out and getting my P’s driver’s licence, so I thought I’d follow that up by also learning how to drive a sailing ship’ he joked.

Locke said he’s both pretty nervous and excited for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“I’m most nervous for throwing up over the side of the ship. I feel like that might make it pretty hard to make new friends!”

Captain of STS Young Endeavour, Lieutenant Commander Andrew Leupen, assured Locke and the other 23 youth crew that the sea sickness isn’t anything to be afraid of, and in fact, it’s all part of the journey.

“Sea sickness is actually part of the youth development program – it’s the all mighty leveller!” said the Captain.

“It’s hard to be the coolest kid on the ship when you’re just like everyone else, vomiting off the starboard side. We actually find it’s crucial to starting the young people off on equal ground, and teaching them how to support and help each other in trying times.”

“Trust me, by day three, you’ve push through the sea sickness, and you start to realise you can push through anything.”

Locke volunteers at the Marine Rescue Base in Terrigal with his Step Mum, which is where he heard about the Young Endeavour Youth Development program.

“I heard from the people at Marine Rescue how unique this experience was. I love the ocean and I enjoy meeting new people and I thought it sounded like a really cool adventure.”

Locke has just disembarked from STS Young Endeavour, sailing north from Sydney into Brisbane’s Dockside Wharf on Saturday. There, Locke and the other youth crew handed the ship over to the next group of young Australians.

Even though it’s the end of Locke’s journey, it’s only just the start for the STS Young Endeavour’s 7-month circumnavigation.

“We’ll be going as far north as Thursday Island and as far South as Albany as we head anti-clockwise around Australia.” Said Captain Leupen.

The youth crew will sail the ship through some of Australia’s most breath-taking locations such as the Great Barrier Reef, Torres Strait, Gulf of Carpentaria, the and the Great Australian Bight.”

Young Endeavour is a tall ship purpose built for sail training. 14 Royal Australian Navy staff crew sail with the ship, delivering the internationally recognised Youth Development program to Australians aged 16 – 23 years.

Applications are still open for voyages departing from Queensland – Darwin, Thursday Island and Western Australia and young Australians age 16-23 can apply on the website: www.youngendeavour.gov.au.