Day 09 – V18/25, Geelong – Sydney

And to the sound of cannons firing in the mist the Young Endeavour sailed into Sydney Harbour this morning for the first time in nearly 7 months! Can you believe us Youthies sailed ourselves all the way into Sydney Harbour!? It feels like a dream!

Day nine arrived with a round of happy birthdays for Youthie watch leader Eli at the midnight watch change where the Bilge Rats handed over to the Sea Cows.

Overnight winds dropped as low as 0.5 knots sending on watch Navigator Jarrah into overdrive figuring out how to get us to Sydney by morning. A few gruelling hours later Nav Jarrah and Capt. Danni set a course that would see the Young Endeavor enter Sydney early the next morning. The whole youth crew worked tirelessly and effectively to do what we could with the wind dealt us. A few uneventful hours followed as we burned some dinosaurs to get to Sydney on time.

Sailing into Sydney Harbour, we were contacted by the 7 News helicopter who congratulated us on our arrival and conclusion of the circumnavigation. They requested a firing round of canons and each Youthie was willing and able to fire their charge.

As we turned through the heads we saw a shroud of fog covering our view of the bay and city, which slowly cleared as the early morning light brightened and burnt it off to reveal the magnificent skyline of the City of Sydney, the Opera House and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Once at anchor we deep cleaned the ship and enjoyed some well deserved rest, before spending the afternoon reflecting on our journey and just how far we had come. Not only through Command Day but as a crew forged by the trials and tribulations of sailing through Bass Strait and living life at sea.

The final circumnavigation of Australia by this ship has been finished, but there are still plenty of adventure opportunities ahead. The crew are happy to be home, but some are already looking back out at the horizon wondering what the next adventure will bring.

We will leave you with a small poem from Robert E. Howard:

I have anchored my ship to a quiet port;

A land that is holy and blessed

But I look through my bars at the tempest’s sport

And I long for the seas unrest.

• Danni, Ben, Jacq