Login
Captain's Log
25 January 2002
Happy Birthday and a Great Job
Command Day is now complete and the YC did a great job of getting the ship from Dromana to Melbourne via Portarlington. Several tackstook place overnight thus the YC are quite tired today. However they did really well and bonded strongly as a team, thus achieving a greatresult. Port Melbourne never looked so good as we anchored here at 0630 hours this morning and a fantastic sunrise greeted us.After a short break and breakfast we held the debrief and several good points were raised examining what made this YC achieve what theydid. Then off to morning tea with a difference. Today is the ship’s 14th Birthday and to celebrate I asked the youngest and oldest YCmembers to cut the cake – then we devoured a yummy triple chocolate cake with all our names written around its base. Well done Polly -quack.We’ve been very busy today – sport on the beach, happy hour (cleaning), setiing sails, swimming, rust scrub, concert and maybe some sleep tonight.Tomorrow is a big day – it’s also the YC’s last day on board. This Australia Day we will invite the Premier of Victoria, Steve Bracks to start the Melbourne to Geelong Festival of Sail. Then after weighing anchor we will race the ”One and All” to Geelong. We hope to beat her again. We have a secret weapon – we’re faster.Stay tuned,Andrew Davis
Latitude/Longitude:
37° 51' South / 144° 55'
Conditions:
Current situation at 1800: At anchor in Hobson's Bay, Port Melbourne. Temp 22C. Wind easterly at 12 knots.
You might also be interested in
Eden to Melbourne
17 January 2025
Day 3 – Into the Tail end of the Storm
The Southerlies continued overnight but we awoke to a crystal clear sky and winds of only 10KN out of the South. The crew all slept well in our sheltered anchorage and we started the day at 0630 with an Early Morning Activity on the upper decks. Breakfast and a morning brief and straight into the Happiest Hour of the Day whilst cleaning the ship.
Once clean to the standards of Chucky the Sailmaster, we mustered midships and were given a comprehensive Ship Life Saving Equipment Brief by Bec, then Chucky briefed us on how the Square Sails work followed by the Navigator, Matty, who talked us through the principles of Navigation.
Chefo Kingy cooked up a storm for lunch and we weighed anchor and pointed the bows towards the deep blue. Once out of the confines of the bay the wind strengthened and with it came the swell and then the sea. The Youth Crew did very well during their first set of tacking stations in 20-25 knots of wind and in 2-3m seas. Thrilling sailing and it was so good to see everyone paying attention, putting in their best and having some fun while doing it. Working some of these lines in these conditions can be challenging but the Youthies were up for it and made easy work of multiple tacks before we settled into an overnight transit taking us South towards Deal Island.
It will be a long night pushing into the 2-3m Southerly swells but it will be worth it when we get south and pick up the forecast Easterlies over the weekend.
Great to be out to sea and sailing towards a very special anchorage.
Captain Leups Out +
Eden to Melbourne
16 January 2025
Day 2 – Strong winds and towering heights
Ahoy there readers of this fine journal. Day Two of our voyage was filled with action with the ship coming alive at 0630 for a snappy Early Morning Activity session on the upper deck. We rolled through breakfast and straight into a harness familiarisation brief, working aloft safety brief and a demonstration by our talented staffies on how to lay aloft. The Youth Crew were keen to get up the foremast to the T'Gallant before climbing down the other side. Impressively - every one of our Youth Crew overcame their fears and achieved this on their very first attempt. Well done!
The watches finished off their climbing and our talented Chefo, Kingy, cooked up a storm. With Masterchefs helping clean up the galley in good time we were back out on deck and the Navigator weighed anchor. We racetracked across beautiful Twofold Bay as our Watchleaders taught their watches how to set and furl the Main Staysail and the Fore Staysail in winds gusting to 35 knots. The deck safety rules really apply in situations like this as there can be quite a bit of weight on the working lines. Credit to the Watchleaders and the Youth Crew as we were able to set and furl these sails numerous times with each member of the crew having a chance to roll up their sleeves and get involved. Great result in challenging conditions.
The Navigator took over once again and we cruised the bay under engine power whilst dinner was served. Once cleaned up and packed away we were back out on deck to run through the setting and furling drills one more time before returning to anchor in the south of the bay by 2000. The Southerly Winds are howling out there and the BOM website is showing some pretty rough weather out there. So we will watch and wait for now.
Anchor watches overnight with the Youth Crew conducting rounds, being introduced to the bridge, and spending some time learning the basics of navigation.
A huge Day Two, lots of lessons learned, new skills introduced and smiles all round. Can't wait to build on this tomorrow!
Captain Leups Out +
Eden to Melbourne
15 January 2025
Day One – Welcome Aboard!
Ahoy there readers of this fine journal. Voyage 02/25 has kicked off with a bang with 24 Youth Crew joining this beautiful ship whilst alongside the Eden Multipurpose Jetty. The lovely people of Eden came to visit us yesterday at our open day with over 200 visitors talking all things Tallship and Youth Development. But a day alongside is a day wasted so we embarked our new crew and slipped lines at 1630. The smooth waters of TwoFold Bay beckoned, and we anchored within sight of the township.
It is a thrill to welcome new Youth Crew and their friends, families and loved ones onboard on Day One of a Voyage. My crew and I made some introductions. Sailmaster; Chucky, Navigator; Matty, Officer of the Watch; Karsen, A/OOW; Bec, Engineer; Dan, Chefo; Kingy, Blue Watchleader; Kyle, White Watchleader; Sara and Sean, Red Watchleader; Simon, VIP extraordinaire and wealth of knowledge; Charlie. What a cracking group of people to call your ship-mates. The Youthies are in for an experience.
It is easy to be enthusiastic about our program and our beautiful ship. She was a gift from the Queen of England after-all. I love the look of surprise on the Youthies faces when I tell them that this is in fact their ship - she was gifted to the Australian Government and People for the express purpose of delivering our World-Famous Youth Development Program. We are all here to facilitate their once in a lifetime adventure!
Tonight we went through a series of briefs to introduce concepts of; life at sea, communal living, routines, acceptable behaviour, the structure of the program itself and, of course, lots of pointers on how to get the most out of the next 10 days.
With a strong Southerly system rounding the Southwest corner of NSW it is our plan to hang around TwoFold Bay tomorrow. We will introduce climbing harnesses and working aloft procedures before challenging our new joiners to climb to the top of the mast. After a sailor's five on deck safety and setting and furling sails, we will weigh anchor and dance our way around the bay as we practise setting and furling our fore and aft sails. That weather looks a bit grim but our future is bright and our Youthies will sleep soundly tonight.
Family and friends - I'll see you here same time tomorrow for an update on our progress.
Captain Leups Out +
