Refuge Cove & White Watch Captains Log Entry

Ahoy Shipmates, This morning was bright and clear and an early morning brief found YOUNG ENDEAVOUR just 7nm east of Refuge Cove. While the YC conducted a quick ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½Happy Half Hourï¿½ï¿½ the Staff Crew brought the Ship safely to anchor in the spectacular Refuge Cove. Once anchored the Engineer conducted another set of rope races followed by an early lunch. By late morning we had commenced ferrying the YC ashore conscious of the fact that this was the first time in the past six days that they had set foot on ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½terra firmaï¿½ï¿½ and we wanted to maximise their time ashore in such a remote and beautiful part of the country. While ashore the Watch Leaders conducted mid-voyage talks, followed by plenty of spare time to either swim in the crystal clear water, play beach sports or hike up to the scenic Refuge Cove Lookout. By late afternoon we had ferried everyone back onboard to enjoy a five star ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½teak deckï¿½ï¿½ BBQ professionally cooked by Lindsey (the Engineer) and myself. On completion of this gastronomical feast it was straight into three way talks followed by the movie ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½Around Cape Hornï¿½ï¿½. At 2100 we weighed anchor and departed Refuge Cove. At the moment Blue Watch are busy setting all sail while the other two watches have gone to bed, because they are due to come on watch at midnight and 0400 respectively. Please find attached Captains Log for this evening from White WatchYours AyeCaptain GavWhitees for Captains LogageDay 6 – Refuge or Bust!Woken up by the melodious voices of our friends in Red Watch (irony!). Following yet another amazing breakfast we headed up to the bridge for watch, which immediately became awesome when a pod of dolphins appeared, riding along the starboard wake.At morning brief, the lovely Bel was transformed into human cannon, complete with cherry tomato cannonballs and muesli gunpowder. You really had to be there.It was about ten o’clock when we arrived in Refuge Cove ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ the beautiful inlet, surrounded by amazing rock faces and trees stretching up into the sky, opened to a secluded beach which was ours for the day. It took a while to get our land legs back, but not long after we decided to make the most of our short break to play football, cricket and soccer, or go for a bushwalk, led by Chooka (yay!) which took us to the incredible lookout over the equally breathtaking views of the ocean and Wilson’s Promontory.Although it was great to be back on land, you couldn’t keep us away from the water with activities like snorkelling, swimming, kayaking, and being dragged around behind Jase’s ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½rowboat with an engine’.The day ended with an awesome barbeque on deck, cooked up by Captain Gav and the incredibly cute Jarod. We had some fun team-building exercises and finished with an inspirational sailing film. Another fantastic day aboard, just taken the anchor up and setting sail againï¿½ï¿½_Shaun:Hi Mum, hi Dad, I’m still alive now. And if I’m still alive I’ll tell you all about it when I come home. Love Shaun. Tim:To all you good socialists out there, I’m slowly bringing down the Navy from within. Love to my peeps. Matt:How r ya mother duck and Rodney John haha lol this has turned out to be not a bad trip and I am enjoying it more and more. lol I am giving you 2 choices 1. I come back smiling and do everything you ask (EVERYTHING) and I get your car mum.2. I come back worse then ever with dads car. I feel great after 6 days without ïŠ xoxPS. Sorry that this is so blunt but I was rushed for time.Elita:Hi Mum and all at home, I did break most of my nails but I’m still OK! The ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½wonder patchï¿½ï¿½ did not work and I was sick like a dog for the first two days. Loving it now, spent most of the day admiring views on the beachï¿½ï¿½_ Julia: you are going to LOVE this!!! Tell you ALL about it when I come home. Miss you guys, don’t forget to pick me up with bfast on Thursday xxHayden:Hi mum and Dad and dogs. Having a fun time, sick for the first couple of days but I’m over it now. Miss you, Love Hayden.Ivana:Hi mum, dad and all. Having an awesome time on the voyage, finally got my sea legs and am not sick anymore. I climbed the fore mast twice, freaking scary, and am going to climb main mast in the next few days (kinda nervous). Tell you more when I get home. Can’t wait to see you all miss and love you all.Annabelle:Hey Dad and Mummy, this is definitely not the ocean cruise I expected, but I think you would be proud of my new sailing ability. I’ve got a bruise to represent every rope I’ve pulled (which is a lot). Love you and miss you so much, your favouritest daughter. Bel.Laura:Hey Mum, Dad, Bobas, Yasin, copious friends (haha) and all at RJB’s (I’m looking at you Michelle) ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ AWESOME. The end. I’ll expand on that when I get back. Make sure to tell Peter I DIDN’T get seasick (whoo!) and I’m way braver than he thought I would be, hahaha.Lots of love, Laura xxoo

Latitude/Longitude:

39Â° 7' South / 146Â° 28' East

Conditions:

Just departed Refuge Cove and have set all plain sail. Currently experiencing north easterly winds at 15-20kts.

AUTHOR: Commanding Officer STS Young Endeavour

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Day 11 – Last Day of the Voyage

Good morning Shipmates, Sailmaster Sara's final Wakey Wakey song was pumped through the Ship’s speakers to jar the crew of YE from their deep slumber after a particularly tiring day of the Community Day Sail. Activities included end-of-voyage chats for the watches, harbour furling the square sails, eating as much home made pizza, cooked by master chef Ash, as we possibly could and knocking over final command day tasks including the Slide Show. It was up on deck for a quick head count to make sure everyone was out of their ‘racks’ and ready for their final day onboard. Breakfast was followed by the morning brief on the plan for the day and then the Staff Crew weighed anchor and got us underway while the Youth Crew laid aloft for a quick harbour cruise. Navigator Seb piloted the Ship from our Athol Bay anchorage, past Fort Dennison under the Harbour Bridge, where we fired the Ship’s saluting cannon, and then into Balls Head Bay to our berth. We berthed at HMAS Waterhen at 1000 to the warm welcome of friends and family of the Youthies, waiting on the wharf for us. Once we had secured the ship alongside we invited our guests onboard, allowed them a walk around the ship to see where the Youthies had lived and worked for the last eleven days, and then we gathered everyone at midships. Sail Master Sara spoke about our adventures during the voyage and then I presented the Voyage Completion certificates to the youth crew and the Young Endeavour Award to Liv for her outstanding hard work on in undertaking the voyage and her dedication to helping her fellow youth crew members to achieve their voyage goals. We then farewelled the Youth Crew of V04/24 after a fantastic challenging and enjoyable voyage. Thank you for following our adventures and hope you enjoyed hearing about them. Yours, aye, Captain Mike

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Day 10 – Community Day Sail Sydney Harbour

Good evening shipmates, After a well-earned quality night’s sleep at anchor in Hunters Bay, Sail Master Sara woke us with another of her soothing tunes to get us on deck for a quick early morning activity. After breakfast the staff crew weighed anchor and conducted the transit to HMAS Waterhen, at Waverton. We berthed there at 0900 and prepared to embark our guests for the Community Day Sail. At 1015 we cast off our berthing lines and departed with our 34 guests and commenced our 3 hour tour of the harbour. Our Community Day Sailors were a group 30 members and staff from the Windgap Foundation. We also embarked some defence personnel as well. We again passed under the Harbour Bridge and then proceeded into Rose Bay where we set some sails and commenced sailing back towards Waterhen. Whilst on the harbour our fantastic youth crew helped us host our Windgap special guests. They encouraged our guests to participate in setting the staysails and a square sail by helping to pull on the sheets and clewlines. The youth crew also helped Chef Ash to prepare and deliver the food to our guests on deck. At 1300, after 3 fun-packed hours on the harbour, we berthed back at the southern wharf at HMAS Waterhen. Once we had farewelled our guests it was time to commence our end-of-voyage activities and preparations. The staff crew managed to organise a visit to the RAN Ship MATV Sycamore, which is crewed by a mixture of civilians and Navy staff, is a multi-role aviation training vessel. The youth crew embarked with their watch leaders and were given a 45 minute tour of the ship by some of the Navy crew. On completion they returned onboard and Young Endeavour sailed and proceeded to our anchorage in Athol Bay, which affords a great view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. During the transit to the anchorage the Youthies undertook their end-of-voyage chats, facilitated by their watch leaders, to examine if they had achieved everything in their full-value contracts they had completed at the start of the voyage. After the traditional last voyage dinner of home made pizzas, Sara gave the Youthies the Harbour Furl brief, who then donned their climbing harnesses and laid aloft to undertake the ‘Harbour Furl’ of the square sails to make them look immaculate for our ceremonial arrival at the end of the voyage tomorrow. Once that was completed, the youth crew then finished off their final outstanding Command Day tasks, which were planned for the last night onboard. These included the Voyage Slide Show compiled of photos taken by everyone. This was excellent and provided a touching reminder of what we had experienced and the beautiful coastlines and islands that we had visited during the voyage. The final activity of the day was the end-of-voyage administration, which for the youth crew included a feedback questionnaire asking for feedback on their experience of the voyage, as well as a letter for each crew member to write to themselves on their experiences during the voyage, which the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme will post to the youth crew in 6 months time. The aim of this is to help reinforce what the youth crew have learned about leadership, teamwork and about themselves from the experience of the voyage. Once these were completed the crew were encouraged to go to bed. The Ship will remain in Athol Bay overnight and weigh anchor and sail in the morning at 0900 and undertake the transit to HMAS Waterhen, where family and friends will meet the Ship on arrival at 1000. Until you hear from me tomorrow for the final instalment of Voyage 04/24. Yours aye, Captain Mike

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Day 9 – Command Day Part 2

Ahoy from Sydney! For today’s Captain’s Log: the Youthies took over and completed several tasks including singing the national anthem in three different tunes as well as giving salty sea facts to start the day in a nautical way. We finally made it! After a long and weary effort of the command team and watches, we were able to fully sail into Sydney Harbour. At approximately 11:50 we anchored in Hunters Bay. To celebrate we had a groovtastic disco in the 12 berth due to excessive rainfall but the youthies made it work, having a blast dancing to Billie Jean. Afterwards, the youthies as well as the staff reflected on our efforts during command day, following the handover of the ship to the Staffies, where we highlighted what we did well, what we could improve on and what lessons we can take back to our normal lives, of which there are many. Continuing on from the previous log, with command day still ongoing. We encountered multiple problems. One of which being that mother nature didn’t bless us and gave us little to no wind to work with. However with the efforts of the Youthies we were able to successfully gather up to 8 knots of speed after a 4am tack in which the youthies persevered despite a lack of sleep enabling us to make our way into Sydney. Before our reflection the Youthies finished their day strong with a ‘Happy Hour’ cleaning session and one final dance. The afternoon was spent relaxing and recharging from ‘Command Day’, going aloft and furling the square sails. For dinner, Ash prepared a barbecue with steak, sausages, chicken kebabs with buns and an assortment of salads with a delicious chocolate cake for dessert. The Youthies are looking forward to the Community Day Sail tomorrow which will be a great opportunity to give back to Australia and put our sailing knowledge to the test. We have learned many lessons during ‘Command Day’, we pushed ourselves out of our comfort zone and together a crew of 24 youth were able to sail a tall ship into the harbour of Sydney. Today’s score: 9 camels and a donkey (Amazing) Until next time Rock on! Tarvi, Kaeden and Matt. P.S. Happy Birthday for tomorrow little bro, love Lil xx P.S.S. Kai, sorry I didn’t do the thing for Meg. I just remembered and will do it when back.

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

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