Hello there all armchair sailors!
Today brings us in to the end of our 24 hour ‘Command Day’, the period of time where the youth crew are given responsibility for the ship and are to set about completing a number of tasks while keeping the ship in running order – from the galley to the top-gallant yard.
A series of anchor watches kept us safe and secure through the night with no alarm needed to be raised. Throughout their watches, youthies worked diligently on some of the more creative tasks that could be completed such as the writing of a song and a midships mural documenting our trip and brilliant staff crew.
We awoke to the Final Countdown and quickly headed amidships into the cold to wake us up out of our slumber and get cracking on the final few tasks. A quick breakfast ensued (gotta keep the bellies full), and we had our morning brief on the bridge where tasks were divvied out and the mornings plan set out.
With this underway it was time to get started with our biggest happy hour yet. Not only did the youthies keep to their typical routine of cleaning the café area, staff mess, and the berths, but also a big effort was made to clean above deck. Many hands make light work, and with youthies swabbing decks, power washing out the duckboards, polishing the cannons, and battling Sydney’s weather we made short work of the clean and managed to get our harnesses on for our final task; taking a picture of all youth crew strewn over the yards.
Having channelled our inner spider monkeys and had the photo taken we descended, and in a quick ceremony handed the ship back over to the equally handsome (and much more capable) staff crew by 10:00.
After the ceremony, we had the our final test of rope races; all for one big prize – the winners to adorn the top-gallant mast upon our return through Sydney harbour. The rope races were incredibly close, having tested our ship knowledge to steepest degree. With the final scores in, we were given one final bonus task worth up to 15 extra points…
Each watch was given an egg. This egg had to have a story, a name, and by 19:00 be ready to drop from the course yard and survive. We were given a variety of odd objects (rubber gloves, vomit bags, zipties, fruit loops, and a single chamomile teabag among others) and had to use all of them to construct a creation that would help our Eggs - John Smith, Benedict, and Sumegg - survive the fall.
John Smith poached it. Benedict got scrambled. But Sumegg? Sumegg survived! Eggcellent! With Sumeggs survival, the placements were now in; Blue Watch in first and to sail in on the top-gallant yard, White Watch in second and on the topsail yard, and Red Watch in third on the course yard.
Heading back below we had three life lessons given to us by some wise youthies with topics such as; how to correctly eat a mandarin (one single peel!), how to buy shoes (as fussy as possible), and how to clean polish your bald ships mechanics head (by asking permission… and a little bit of elbow grease). We finished these demonstrations with a song written by the youthies that summed up our time here on the Young Endeavour before beating to quarters and getting some much needed rest.
On behalf of all youth crew of voyage 18/23, we have loved every second of taking part of this opportunity and are loathe to see our time here come to a close.
- Arkady Walker, Elected youthie Captain.
Thank you again for a great narrative Arkady. The weather has certainly been challenging us again today. At least the wind has stayed low in this sheltered anchorage. We are again remaining here overnight, however we sail early in the morning to HMAS Waterhen, Waverton, to pick up our Community Day Sailors. Until tomorrow.
Yours Aye, Captain Mike