Day One – At Anchor Portarlington
Hi Everyone,
Welcome to Young Endeavours fifth voyage for 2017 and our nineteenth and final voyage of our 2016/17 Circumnavigation of Australia. This voyage will see us sail from Williamstown to Sydney which is approximately 550nm. Along the way we will get to experience some of the infamous Bass Strait and then explore some of the spectacular Victorian and NSW coastline before making our grand entry into Sydney Harbour. We have put together another great Staff Crew for this voyage who I know will take great care of our new Youth Crew ensuring that they all have an amazing experience.
The Young Endeavour Staff Crew for this voyage are as follows:
Captain – Gav
Sail Master – Guv
Navigator – Evan
BOATSO – Phil
Red Watch Leader – Lauren
White Watch Leader – Megan
Blue Watch Leader – Kyle
Chef – Keely
Engineer – Horto
YEYS – Angela
After 30 months onboard as the ship’s Engineer this is Horto’s last voyage so we will it extra special for him.
The voyage commenced at 1500 today when in very warm conditions (34 degrees) the new Youth Crew joined Young Endeavour berthed at Williamstown’s Workshop Pier. Once gear had been stowed and family and guests had been given a tour of the ship I gave my welcome address then farewelled our guests. A safety brief followed then at 1550 lines were cast off and we safely departed our berth and commenced the 18nm passage to Portarlington which was our planned anchorage for the evening. During this passage we completed some ‘ice breaker’ activities and ships tours.
Dinner followed with Chef Keely producing the first of many amazing meals then at 1850 we came safely to anchor just to the north of the Portarlington Marina. Once at anchor Horto gave the Youth Crew a brief on everything engineering which was followed by Captains and Sail Master chats. During these chats we discuss our expectations and give the Youth Crew a rundown of what they can expect during the next eleven days of the voyage.
The time is now 2030 and all of the watches are either doing deck safety or completing Full Value Contracts with their respective Watch Leaders. This should continue until 2200 when we should have completed all of our first day activities. It has been a good start to the voyage and I am pleased how well the Youth Crew have already settled into their new environment.
Tomorrow morning we will undertake first climbs of the foremast then just prior to lunch weigh anchor and complete our pilotage out of Port Phillip Bay passing through the infamous ‘Rip’ between 1400-1500 and commence our passage to Sydney.
Until tomorrow, take care.
Yours Aye
Captain Gav
Latitude/Longitude:
Conditions:
Currently at anchor at Portarlington and enjoying light ESE winds with nil swell and the temperature is still a warm 26 degrees.
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Thank you Tarvi, Kaeden and Matt for your narrative of today's events. Intentions are to remain at anchor in Hunters Bay, just off HMAS Penguin, home of the RAN Diving School, a place close to my heart, having spent many a day there under training as a young Officer! The plan is to weigh anchor and proceed to HMAS Waterhen, in Waverton, to pick up our Community Day Sailors from the Windgap Foundation and take them for a sail around the harbour for 3 hours. The Youth Crew will help us host our visitors and give them an experience of Young Endeavour. We will drop them back to Waverton and then proceed to anchor in the harbour where we will have a good view of the Bridge and the Opera House for the Youth Crew's last night onboard. Until tomorrow. Yours Aye, Captain Mike