Getting our sea legs ��_

Hi everyone,The Ship sailed nearly 100 miles yesterday and we passed Port Stephens early in the morning and then Smokey Cape around lunch-time, where the East Australian Current is traditionally at its strongest. The current is the warm water flowing down the east coast from the Great Barrier Reef.It was another long day of watch routines and sail handling in smooth seas but with little wind. Some more mast climbs to attend to the square sails and our first session of rope races where the Youth Crew got to demonstrate their knowledge of the Ship. Quite a spectacle as trio’s of people (one person from each watch or section as land lubbers might call it) take it in turns to find a particular piece of equipment or a line or sheet (rope) that has been nominated by our Engineer, Leon.The Navigator Kim gave us a session on navigation principles while Josh our Watch Officer taught us about rules of the road ��_ or should that be rules of the sea road? Which way to pass beacons, how to give way to other ships and which side of the road (river) we should proceed down (yes, opposite side to what we do on land)!Tonight we are passing Port Macquarie continuing with our watch routines and doing some practical navigation on the charts and learning all the various instruments and equipment to help us navigate safely. Radars, GPS, parallel rules, speed times distance equations and even an analogue barometer to master. I’m sure the analogue concession is just for me!We are intending to proceed to anchor at Coffs Harbour tomorrow, weather dependant, where I hope to update you all again.Until tomorrow ��_ take care,YakVoyage Captain