Day 6: Working to Windward

Hello there Everyone, It was a long night for our team of budding young adventurers. After enduring that squall at midnight the Youth Crew now knew what tall ship sailing was all about. I’m sure at the actual time it was not much fun, more like miserable and very physically and mentally challenging. However, in time to come many will look back on the experience and remember very fondly enduring that adversity, doing it tough, standing tall, working together as a team and facing the brute force of Mother Nature head on . . . and succeeding. With the wind from the NE at 20kts and at the time on an East, South Easterly course, come 0330 we needed to tack and again to continue making ground to the north. In yet another shower and on very limited sleep the rest of our gang were all up on deck again and we tacked ship to the NW. At morning brief this morning Young Endeavour was sailing under jib, fore staysail, main staysail, topgallant staysail and main and I have to say, there were some pretty tired individuals. On completion of morning brief and after all of our frozen food had relocated itself to the inboard side of our freezer jamming the door in place, it was decided to roll into our Demonstrational Tacks activity. This had a two fold purpose. Firstly, after tacking the ship and consequently leaning the ship the other way, the freezer door was released and ���The Chad�� our master chef was able to repack the freezer and ensure our food supply for the day – Very Important! Secondly, to consolidate the ongoing sailing theory discussions I had been sharing with the Youth Crew. We brought the ship under a modified sail plan and completed this activity which gives the Youth Crew the opportunity to experience the procedures and theory for tacking the ship. They do so from the bridge to ensure that they have a better understanding of the overall picture as they watch the whole process unfold before their eyes. Following lunch Josh conducted another set of ���Rope Races’ in which Snowy’s Blue Watch dominated proceeding. To complete the afternoons programmed activities the Watch Leaders sat down with their Watches and conducted Mid Voyage Talks. In short a chat about where things are at, how everything is going and the direction ahead. We had to continue to work to windward and tacked two more times at 1600 and 2000 to make best ground to the north. Overnight the Youth Crew will conduct, if they haven’t already done so, their BEAREX (teamwork and communication exercise) as well as consolidate their sailing and navigation skills in preparation for the fast approaching Command Day. Young Endeavour is currently 20nm to the east of Stanwell Park and on a North, North/Westerly course. Progress is slow, but there is progress nonetheless.Until tomorrow, take care.Yours AyeCaptain Dion