Outer Reef (Open Sea)
Ahoy Shipmates, Due to a wind shift during the early hours of this morning the YC were called to tacking stations at 0330 to wear ship. Once this evolution was successfully completed everyone with the exception of the watch on returned to their bunks for a few more hours of well needed sleep. At morning brief YE was NE of Dunk Island making very good speed due to a strengthening south easterly. Given these conditions I decided to alter course and head out to the outer reef through Flora Passage so that I could give the YC the experience of being outside the sight of land and in complete open water. After lunch and a bit of YC ���free time�� we conducted another set of rope races followed by demonstrational tacks, this time giving all YC the opportunity to experience the procedures for tacking ship from the bridge so that they have a better understanding of the orders and procedures required to successfully carry out this manoeuvre. Given that the wind had now strengthened to 25kts these set of tacks gave the YC a real appreciation of the speed, power and manoeuvrability of YE in these conditions. Once in open water and well clear of the outer reef we again tacked Ship and headed NW to the Grafton Passage and having successfully experienced open sea (including a 3m swell) headed back into the inner reef with the hope of reaching our anchorage at Fitzroy Island by late evening.At the moment we are still transiting the Grafton Passage with just under 15nm remaining to reach Fitzroy Island. Yours AyeCaptain Gav
Latitude/Longitude:
Conditions:
Currently sailing under fore and aft sails and experiencing strong SE winds at 25-30kts
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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