Fraser Island

YOUNG ENDEAVOUR came to anchor off Bagara shortly after 1300 yesterday afternoon and preparations were quickly made for the sportsafternoon ashore. A beautiful flat hard beach saw a couple of rounds of ‘Giants, Wizards and Elfs’ – a modified rock, paper, scissors game involving lots of noise and fun before the youth crew split intowatches for a game of ‘splat ball’. Needless to say the staff remained undefeated, despite the youth crew’s best efforts, largely due to their teamwork and interpretion of the rules.The wind strengthened from the northwest over the afternoon, resulting in a lumpy and wet boat ride back to the Ship. Speedy’smagnificent BBQ was enjoyed on a pitching teak deck by many, however some were starting to feel a little queasy again. This, and the relatively poor holding ground for the anchor, saw the decision madeto sail on completion of dinner, and just before 1900 the Ship weighed anchor and proceeded north east to clear Hervey Bay.The wind continued to strenghten and back to the west overnight and the ship made good time with the Topgallant and Topsail set. Theyouth crew were kept busy conducting an exercise designed to encourage teamwork and communication skills which involved lots ofsail handling. The Ship cleared Breaksea Spit to the north of Fraser Island at 0345 this morning. A whole Ship tack ensured the Ship started to make ground to the southeast, however the wind continuedto back so the square sails were handed in and Ship came hard onto the wind around sunrise this morning.At Morning Brief this morning Navigator Stan gave the distances run in the watches overnight. The impressive totals averaged a speed of nearly eight knots overnight, the highest sustained speed seen for some time. Saltly Seadog Hector explained the origins of the ‘dog watch’ used to name the 1600 to 2000 watch onboard a ship. Engineer Stewey found another small bag of items below, and these were duly returned for a rendition of ‘Crabs and Seashells’.The strong southwesterly winds have continued throughout the forenoon, and the ship is making good time to the southeast. Most of the youth crew have found their sealegs and are relishing in the chance to sail this ship in these fantastic conditions. As we slowly make our way offshore we are hoping the wind will continue to back around to the south, allowing us to tack back inshore to calmerwaters.YOUNG ENDEAVOUR FACT FILE:Nautical Mile is the length of one minute of longitude (one 60th of a degree) measured at the equator and is exactly equal to 1841.2 metres. As the earth isn’t a perfect spherein practice it is reckoned as being 1842.4 metres and is the official measure for all nautical and aeronautical distancesthroughout the world.THOUGHT OF THE DAY:The depth and strength of a human character are defined by its moral reserves. People reveal themselves completely only when they are thrown out of the customary conditions of their life, for only then do they have to fall back on their reserves.Leon TrotskyYours Aye,Phil GadenLieutenant, RANActing Commanding OfficerYOUTH CREW IMPRESSIONS:Damian, 17, Buderim QldHaving the best time on the Young Endeavour. Weather has picked up and we are fighting 22 knot winds going around the east side ofFrasier. But sea sickness has slackened and watches are handling their duties with surprising ease half way through the voyage with help from their leaders and each other.Rhiannon, 21, Artarmon, NSWHaving the most fantastic time! The weather has warmed up, more like the Qld weather we were expecting. Awake despite cronic lack ofsleep, looking forward to more challenges ahead. Highlight so far, standing on the topgallant sail and looking out to Gladstone.