Day 10 – V12/25, Broome to Exmouth

What a twenty four hours that have been! Picking up from where we left off, with a perfect Snooksy-approved nav plan, making the best of the winds that had been given to us. We weighed anchor and as the sun set our Command Day Voyage began. Unbeknownst to us, a squall was brewing. As the engines were cut and sails were being set, our limited number of crew was shocked with some of the strongest winds we had experience so far in the voyage. Setting sails in strong winds, and growing seas proved more difficult than first imagined, and cracks were already starting to show in our ‘perfect’ nav plan. Amidst all the chaos it then began raining… birds? One of our watch leaders Charli was the first victim, copping a bird straight to the head while calling the setting of the main sail, quite a unique experience. Watches were gradually rolled into, and thus began our night at sea.

At the beautiful time of 0320, “All hands to tacking stations, all hands to tacking stations” what a joyous wake-up call. With everyone in position, we then completed a Youthie-lead tack, (A turn of the ship through the wind, requiring a full transition of the ways a sail is facing, and the whole crew’s involvement), this tack went smoothly and we readjusted and charted a new course.

A few hours later the wind had backed and veered and was coming from the exact direction we were trying to sail into! A quick re-route was required and planned by our awesome Navigation Team; Grace and Jayda. Ollie cooked up a storm for breakfast as our last Masterchef standing, of pancakes and hash browns, and as the sun rose, we came to realize it was not the only storm heading our way…

We were surrounded by whales gracefully jumping and twirling at the entrance to Exmouth and as we beat to windward with a lot more tacks, we finally entered calmer waters. At 1300 the staffies reclaimed the ship, and some lovingly drawn wanted posters, of TJ, Moonie and Kingy were displayed and presented, to their respective criminal.

At anchor tonight, for out last dinner together (Pizzas, cooked by Kingy the goat once again), most youthies are feeling quite bittersweet, obviously some are keen for a full nights sleep, or not to be rocking, but everyone agrees that its truly been an amazing voyage, and the things we’ve done have truly been once-in-a-lifetime, the friends made and the things we have all learnt, about sailing, about each other, and most importantly ourselves has been the most amazing experience, we would all agree.

Thanks for following along shipmates, and onto the next voyage!

Joseph and Aimee 🙂