Day 26 – A Great Day in the Med

Hi Everyone, Welcome to day 26 of our voyage. The weather has continued to be kind to us today with everyone enjoying the calm seas and light wind.This morning I conducted Captains Sail Setting and Furling Drills which is an activity where I assess each of the Watches skills in being able to safely set and furl sails. This is an important activity in our lead up to Command Day because it gives me the assurance that the Watches are at the required standard to safely manage everything on deck prior to being given command of the ship. Today I was extremely pleased with the high standards displayed by each of Watches and am happy to announce that they all passed with ‘flying colours’.  Today has been a great day for our fisherman with a number of good catches and beautiful fresh fish on the menu for dinner tonight which was enjoyed by all.Rather than me tell you about everything that has happened today I will hand over to Pink Watches Yak and Ailesh to tell you all about their day. Enjoy!Until tomorrow, take careYours AyeCaptain Gav  Captains Log: 19 May 15Heyo Lads and Lasses,Jacob (Yak) and Ailesh here, currently enjoying the end of day 26, the half way point of our voyage from Canakkale. It has been another beautifully calm day sailing (motor sailing) the Mediterranean on our quest to reach Gibraltar by Friday. What an absolutely cracking 24 hours!  During First watch last night, The mighty Pinkies (us) were the first to set all squares as a single watch since the Young Endeavour left Sydney on the 22nd of December 2014. We completed the task just as the sun was dipping beyond the horizon, saying goodnight to all those on the water. Overnight, Pink, Cream and Aqua watches along with the officer of the watch and the rotating watch leaders kept the ship afloat and on track whilst practicing their setting and furling for an exciting challenge ahead.  As morning broke and the clock hit 0700, the crew were woken by the tunez of Bon Jovi, highlighting our halfway milestone. Satisfied by another scrumptious cooked breakfast from our wonderful Chefos, we headed to morning brief for another insight into the history of common sailing jack speak, performed by the saltiest sea dogs of all, Salty and his S.H.I.T Productions team informing us of the origins of “Son of a gun”  Post morning brief saw each watch individually set and furl a number of sails as a chance to prove our worthiness and safe setting and furling skills in the gaze of Captain Gav himself and his wee little safety elf Lindsey. This was to ensure when command day is washed upon deck we are all competent to sail this 22 million dollar vessel. Non surprisingly we all passed the challenge in flying colours and received a kind token of Gav’s heart and a bag of lolllliiieeeesssss!! Thanks Gav, You’re a top bloke.   After lunch a well deserved siesta was rewarded to all those not on watch (sorry Creamies). This was swimmingly interrupted by the sounds of two good sized Tuna hooked on the lines being trolled. Combined efforts of Dr Nick, Lindsey, Dougie, Marcos, Shaun (staffies) and a few keen crewies the fish were landed, showing the true spirit of Young Endeavour. After the tuna were filleted for dinner, and the teak deck was painted red, watches resumed and moods remained ecstatic.  Next for the day was the non competitive, competitive Rope Races which are becoming more of a football match than a peaceful assessment of ship knowledge. We where faced with a team challenge of securing an egg using various comical items, including balloons, bread rolls and tea bags, to safely land our eggs from the Lower Top platform, about 8 metres above the deck. The egg drop final was to be witnessed after dinner.  In the build up to dinner we sat scattered across the ship in watches contemplating designs and strategies to successfully get our eggs on deck without any crackastrophes. In the silence of strategising and the gentle lapping of wavelets across the bow we hear “fish on!” I (Yak) immediately abandoned my team mates to seek a much needed back aching thrill of a tight line. As I reached the aft of the ship I hear “It’s a big one mate”. After a lengthy battle I finally got the upper hand and with the help of Shauno and Dougie got the beast on board. A Big Eyed Tuna, my first ever and what a place to have caught it, on the Mediterranean, sailing a tall ship. There’s no place I’d rather be!Number one on the menu for dinner (for those who enjoy local seafood delicacies) was the freshest of fresh Yellow Fin tuna, lightly seared served with an Asian inspired dressing. It was Tunalicious and was complimented by Tom and Kirra’s scrumptious brownie volcano.  When our bellies were full, we headed too midships to be a part of the egg drop eggstravagansa. We sat, we waited, we listened to the poems of saltly sea puppies and the tails of those faced with being scrambled. We sat in aw as the eggs gracefully and not so gracefully hit the deck guided by some worthy and not so worthy egg supporting devices. Final diagnoses by Dr Nick deemed Cream egg scrambled and Pink and Aqua eggs hard boiled sons of guns.  Unfortunately thick cloud cover is upsetting what could have been another magnificent sunset on the Mediterranean.  It is now time for us to hit our racks to be woken for watch at 0400.Yak and Ailesh out.Shout outs:  Hey Mom and Dad, Abby, Will, Drew, Joey, Sam, Izak and Zaria. Hope you’re all behaving yourselves and keeping things real. Having the best time and missing you all heaps. Love Jacob xo  Hey to everyone back home. Amy, just because I am at sea at the moment doesn’t get you out of making me my Crockembush, I expect it when I get home: P Love Ailesh”