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Captain's Log
V21/25, Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
27 December 2025
Day 2 – V21/25, Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race!
Ahoy! We find ourselves beating to windward on Day Two of V21/25 on our run from Sydney to Hobart. We are following the SHYR fleet down the coast and finding it rough going in southerly winds and seas. There are a few green gills onboard but have no fear our salty sea dogs will find their sea legs in no time. Just need to purge a few land demons along the way.
The sun has been shining, and our day has been filled with tacks and lots of chat about previous voyages and subsequent adventures. It’s amazing to hear of all the amazing things our Crew have done since they were onboard as Youthies for their respective Voyages of Self Discovery and Development. Many of the crew have sailed with us during 2025 on one of our previous 20 Voyages this year.
Some have told stories of getting home, jumping on the Defence Force Recruiting website and applying to join the Navy. Citing influential crew members as inspiration for this change in tack in their life journey. Equally as inspiring is hearing of wild adventures, holidays and successful years at university and in securing new jobs. A common theme is that their time on Young Endeavour has demonstrated that they can dare to dream and they can have confidence that they will prevail.
This is all heart warming discussion for our crew who have sacrificed so much this year to deliver life changing experiences week in and week out.
We are bunkered down for another busy evening making our way South!
Captain Leups Out +
p.s Happy Birthday Ashton! – Ebony
Latitude/Longitude:
35 33.148 S / 150 31.816 E
Conditions:
Weather: Sunny Wind: 15-20kn SE Temp: 24C
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V20/25
28 December 2025
Day 3 – V21/25, Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race!
Day Three of Voyage 21/25 sees STS Young Endeavour following the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet down the coast. The last two days have tested the mettle of our Youth Crew (and the Staff Crew!) as we have tacked our way South into some strong winds and seas. We've waved as retiring racing yachts have turned to return to Sydney - they really did brave some harsh conditions in much smaller vessels.
Despite a few green gills the crew have all resurfaced today with the winds backing out of the south and bringing a refreshing but light 5-10kn Easterly Wind. This has taken the size out of the seas and made the ride much more comfortable. We still have a long way to run to round Tasman Island though and we plan on capitalising on the predicted North Easterlies over the next 24 hours to cover some miles.
Our beautiful tall ship much prefers a down-wind sail than beating to windward and we are all looking forward to it too!
Chefo Steve, AKA Big Sauce, has kept us all fed in rough conditions and tonight we were treated with some chicken satay and beef chow mein. Just what we need before rolling into watches overnight and continuing our passage.
Youth Crew jumped online on their phones this afternoon with a short window of reception whilst we passed the township of Eden on the NSW South Coast. There is some adverse weather coming on the 30th and we are watching it closely to assess its impact to our arrival time which is currently programmed for the 1000 on the 31st at the UTAS Wharf in Hobart.
I'll provide another update tomorrow night which will confirm our arrival. Let's just say we are all incredibly motivated to push through the weather and arrive as planned to reunite with friends and families and to celebrate New Years Eve in Hobart to round out a hugely successful 2025. We won't do that though it the conditions are looking unsafe or marginal. Watch this space tomorrow!
We're going to settle into a comfortable run into Bass Straight tonight which is very refreshing after the last two nights at sea!
Captain Leups Out +
V20/25
26 December 2025
Day 1 – V21/25, Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race!
Ahoy readers of this fine journal!! This voyage will be a little bit different for a number of reasons. We are sailing with 24 returning Youth Crew members - known as "The Crew". We are sailing with the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Fleet from Boxing Day to New Years Eve and to say we are thrilled would be an understatement.
There is some discussion amongst the Ship Crew whether or not this is the end of our 2025 Voyage Program or the beginning of our 2026 Summer Sailing Season! To my mind this is our 21st Voyage this year and marks the end of a sensational 12 months where we have delivered an exceptional Youth Development Program to nearly 400 Young Australians as we literally circumnavigated this amazing Country.
Crew for the Sydney to Hobart include; Captain Leups, Sailmaster Sarah, Officer of the Watch Emma, Watchleaders; Chris, Simon and Kyle, Chefo Steve (AKA Big Sauce - out for his final voyage with us!), Engineers; Dan and Sam and Medical Officer; Chris.
This voyage promises to be a real high seas adventure and one that we will look back on with pride. Follow us on Marine Traffic and wish us well as we brave the 25kn winds and 3m seas for the first couple of days!
Captain Leups Out +
V20/25
16 December 2025
Day 09 – V20/25, Sydney -Sydney
Good evening friends, families and loved ones, past, present and potentially future STS Young Endeavour crew!!! Today was a huge day. Overnight our Youth gave absolutely everything they had to navigate this ship from Broken Bay to Sydney Harbour (with a complex tacking plan!) for their Command Day and I am pleased to report we made it!
Day 9 of Voyage 20/25 was sensational. The dawn broke in a grey sky with light 10kn South-Easterly winds giving us just enough drive to achieve the arrival time of 0700L at Line Zulu demarking the entrance to Sydney Harbour. Our elected Command Day crew were incredibly well supported by the rest of the youth crew and their performance was inspiring.
Navigator Matt drove the ship into harbour and berthed on the northern arm of HMAS Waterhen. In the previous 24 hours the ship had used 63% of its water overnight. An amount far too great to organically re-make using the Reverse Osmosis units. The precise cause of the excessive water use is thought to be multiple Hollywood showers and some poor fresh water discipline compounded by flow-restrictors in the pipework not doing their job! No problem too great for the crew of STS YE though. We berthed, plugged in the 3 1/4 hose and within a few hours Engineer Dan had us back up at 100%.
While we refilled the freshwater tanks the youth crew rested. I had taken back the ship and the sense of relief from the crew was palpable. Chefo Kingy served up some sensational duck breasts and salads to reinvigorate the crew and we reset ourselves for the afternoon.
HMAS Diamantina graciously offered to provide the crew with a ship tour and a discussion around Mine Warfare and what life is like on a Navy Ship. Thank you to the crew for facilitating this we are very appreciative!! On return to STS YE we focussed on our Command Day Debrief discussions. These are key to drawing life lessons from this unique experience and the crew were characteristically honest, open and engaged. Excellent chat lead to some profound reflection and we all walked away a little bit wiser. Perhaps a little bit more resilient, confident, aware of our own limits and certainly with a whole lot of new friends for life having had that shared experience.
Tonight we harbour furl our square sails and clean up the upper decks after 9 days at sea. We are ready to receive our Community Day Sail guests tomorrow and showcase this beautiful ship and talk about our adventures.
The crew will go to bed tonight feeling fulfilled, proud and hopefully satisfied with all of their efforts. All we asked was they give everything that have and that they did. Respect!
Youthies will round out the Captains Log tomorrow night - check in tomorrow to read all about it!
Captain Leups Out +
