One Key Makes all the Difference

Situation at 20:00-Last night the watches were relatively quiet and the only sail handling required was setting and furling practise. Most of theYouth Crew were able to take a trick on the helm and learn how to steer by the wind. We made ground to seaward and sunrise found usforty nautical miles South of Portland Bay.Today’s schedule was less hectic than yesterday’s. At morning brief Navigator Bullet showed us our progress and briefed us on the weather forecast for the next 24 hours. Salty Sea Dog Lolli continued her antics with a particularly animated description of the nautical origins of an everyday saying. Engineer Stewy was able to reap a huge harvest for his scran bag which was brimming over with gear he had found sculling. Most of the Youth Crew, and some of the Staff Crew had their gear returned by him, at the cost of a delightful littlesong. Happy hour was well attended and inside of 45 minutes all cleaning stations had been inspected by XO Chooka. Morning teaconsisted of some magnificant chocolate chip cookies freshly baked by Chef Polly.Engineer Stewy led the first round of rope races, which was won by the mighty Bluies. It was an action packed competition whichsaw no ‘rope offs’ being required. A few hours of free time was next on the voyage schedule. Before long the upperdeck was strewn with bodies as the Youth Crew caught up on sleep and enjoyed the good weather. The only activity during the afternoon was a lecture by XO Chooka on how the square sails are set and clewed up. At 17:00, right on schedule, a pod of twenty Dolphins arrived and took up formation on either bow. It was a great show that lasted for half an hour.Overnight we hope for the wind to back to the Nor’ West as we shape a course for an anchorage off Lorne. The forecast calls forstrong winds tomorrow so the Youth Crew will have their work cut out for them. The watch-on-deck will continue to develop their skillsovernight, setting and furling sails and learning the different lines.YOUNG ENDEAVOUR Fact File: The Ship is a purpose built Brigantine designed for youth development training. As a Brigantine,she has a foremast and a mainmast. Square sails are carried from the foremast and fore-and-aft sails are carried from the mainmast and the stays. YOUNG ENDEAVOUR can point as high as 60 degrees off the wind when only the fore-and-aft sails are set, but only 90 degrees off the wind with the squares set.YOUNG ENDEAVOUR Glossary: Sheets- The line fastened to the clew of a sail to control the set of the sail. A square sail has onesheet fastened to each of its two clews, while a fore-and-aft sail has two sheets fastened to its one clew. Brace- The line fastened to the end of each yard (the yardarm) by which the yard is swung orbraced ’round to set the square sail to the wind.Thought of the Day: TEAMWORK IS IMPOTRANT. XvXn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll, xxcxpt for onx ofthx kxys. I wishxd many timxs that it workxd pxrfxctly. It is trux that thxrx arx forty-onx kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs all thx diffxrxncx. Somxtimxs it sxxms to mxthat our organisation is somxwhat likx this typxwritxr…not all the pxoplx arx working. You say to yoursxlf wxll, I am only onxpxrson…I won’t makx or brxak a program. But it doxs makx a diffxrxncx, bxcausx any program, to bx xffxctivx, nxxds thx activxparticipation of xvxry mxmbxr. So thx nxxt timx you think you arx only onx pxrson, and that your xfforts arx not nxxdxd, rxmxmbxr mytypxwritxr and thx story it txlls. Author unknownYours, AyeJohn CowanLCDR, RAN