Day 5 – 75th Sydney to Hobart…Tasman Island Gap and Port Arthur.

Ahoy shipmates, and greetings from Port Arthur. Kirsty and Tess have very eloquently covered the days events, so I’ll be brief. As staff crew we always look forward to returnee voyages…both to see some familiar faces, and to hear their stories of voyages past. The returnees of Voyage 16/19 have been a joy to have onboard. Their life experiences and shared affection toward Young Endeavour have made this a very enjoyable voyage…from the spectacular Sydney to Hobart yacht race start, fantastic weather and sailing, to tomorrow’s voyage end in Hobart, we have laughed our way south. Thanks to all for your warmth and comraderie…it’s been a blast. Finally, we farewell two of our staff this voyage…Karly and Marcus, you have positively impacted the lives of countless young Australians, and have been integral to the continued success of the Young Endeavour program. We wish you both fair winds and following seas…you will be missed. That’s it from me, I’ll hand you over to the girls. Fair winds, Captain Kenny, out!———-Ahoy there! This last Captain’s Log for the 2019 Sydney to Hobart returnee voyage is brought to you by Kirsty and Tess from White Watch. We have an experienced ‘youth crew’, spanning the past three decades of the Young Endeavour’s rich history.
Our penultimate day commenced with a surprise sunrise that emerged through the fog to bring light to the day. For the majority of the crew, the day started with a “Wakey Wakey” song, followed up by a vibrant snooze alarm from our own White Watch, much to the disdain of many.
It was a surreal movie-scene start to the day with our passage between mainland Tasmania and the small Tasman Island. The heavy mist was kind enough to let the incredible scenery shine, yet it stayed to roll off the cliffs and make for photo opportunities to rival that of National Geographic!
We dropped anchor in the picturesque bay of Port Arthur, and were welcomed with great hospitality by the staff at the Port Arthur Historical Site. The Young Endeavour crew were kindly guided on a walking tour of the historical remains, and a cruise around the bay highlighting significant sites, including the Isle of the Dead and the old dry dock.
An elaborate cheese grazing plate greeted us upon our return to YE. The afternoon festivities continued with an amazing Taco Party on deck, that was abruptly interrupted by a sudden southerly change. The winds at dinner peaked (during, mind you!) at a respectable 39 knots, which was more than anything that the Bass Strait thought to give us earlier in the voyage! This presented the crew with their toughest challenge yet – chasing taco toppings and paper plates across midships on the deck.
Despite it all, spirits remain very high going into our Movie Night (movie decision pending a democratic vote), to continue through for a great New Year’s Eve tomorrow.
Tonight, we plan to raise anchor at midnight, and start our final sail into Hobart (just behind Comanche, if you’re in need of race updates!).
Speaking of updates, our ship-wide ‘Hunger Games’-style Ship’s Assassin competition is nearing its’ dramatic conclusion. Blood has been spilled ruthlessly, but the final three contenders are yet to do their worst…
We’d like to acknowledge all the incredible food that our Chef Marcus has prepared in his time on YE, as this has been his final voyage. And also to recognize Karly, whose murderous sensibilities are second only to her kind and ever-uplifting positivity. We wish both Marcus and Karly the very best in their new ‘endeavours’, as they will be sorely missed!
In a similar vein, the returnee crew wishes to express our insurmountable gratitude towards the entire Staff Crew on this Sydney to Hobart voyage! It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be in your company – the exuberance of the crew truly brought the gusto and determined spirit of the Sydney to Hobart to the people for whom the Young Endeavour has meant so much to; the returnees!
Wishing the Young Endeavour and her crew all the best for 2020 and beyond!
Yours truly,
Kirsty and Tess