The Big Banana
Three way talks were a lot of fun last night and the crew all enjoyed a good nights sleep as we rode gently at anchor in Coffs Harbour.We woke this morning to a glorious sun rise and day. After a quick morning brief and set of cleaning stations, the YC were ferried ashore enabling them to enjoy what Coffs Harbour has to offer. A few adventurous souls even made the trek to the Big Banana – and they wern’t dissappointed. The YC all returned onboard for lunch and being such a glorious warm day the pool was opened for a quick dip. Despite the chilly water, the swing rope enticed quite a few YC into the water. Unfortunately one of the YC chipped a tooth so she was sent ashore to the dentist. Rather than wait, we weighed anchor and proceeded to sea to conduct demonstration tacks. A fresh NE breeze made for some great sailing and after a couple of hours we sailed back into Coffs Harbour under full sail. Apparently we looked magnificent and once in the harbour some slick sail handling had us hove to so that we could recover our patient and the boat. In quick time we were underway again sailing out past the breakwater. Once clear of the harbour, sheets were eased and square sails reset as the fresh NE breeze allowed us to make good speed to the south. Only a few miles from the harbour entrance, we enjoyed the sight of a humpback whale doing some great aerial work and breeching clear of the water. He/she was a real show off.There is a gale warning current for our area so I suspect we will be in for an interesting night. We want to make as much ground to the south overnight before the southerly change hits us around lunch time tomorrow.YC entry by Suze Pern (age 23 from Balmoral, Vic) At around 1625, after the crew ledgends, Craig, Matty on the port side of the Top Galant and Dave T. and myself finished tying up the the stardboard side, we decided to stay up on the upper top platform as we approached Coffs Harbour.It was a surreal feeling, hanging wide out on the stardboad side of the yard at 30 metres above deck with only a 1/2 an inch metal saftey line between us and certain death. Wow. The sky was a hazy orange/pink, like the movie ‘ Apocalypse Now’, with fishing vessels passing close by our stardboard and port sides. The fading light on the ‘look out’ on the standboard side, was beautiful.Then the four of us (pink peg legends) made our way down the fore mast, with crys of Wo Ho Wo Ho and Yip Ya all round. The rest of the crew took down all the sails as we anchored, and we had a plesent BBQ on deck.After sunset all the crew and staff met at ‘mid ships’ for a comical game of Three Way Talks, where each of us had talk about one another. It was a real scream, with many creative performances.In the morning I awoke to an amazing sunning day. Straight after breakfast and ‘Colours’ (a happy flag raising ceremony with a Endevour rendition of Avance Australia Fair). Then a quick cleaning ‘happy hour’ of elbow grease. Then after a humourous shuttle trip, to the dock by Pauly, where we let loose on the pretty town of Coffs Harbour. After calls home, pig outs and generally running amuck on our wobbly sea legs, we came back to the ship.Is was such a great day, a swim was in order. With a swing rope and some ‘gutsy dives’ most got into the clear water of the harbour. But as Kate from W.A was attempting a spectacular summersault dive, it all went wrong and she chipped one of her teeth. So to action stations we went and got her to a Dentist.Meanwhile we had set sails, and made a number of tacks out to the south east. Then we made haste, back again to pick up our treasured friend, to the tune of ‘Feel Allright’ by James Brown (OK), at the call of Billy (Joel).After settling all sail again we set off again to head southward towards Sydney.Soon after we all spotted a Humpback Whale as it breeched out of the water at around 400 metres from the stern.By night fall due to changes in the wind direction and the storm forecast of a southerly change we tacked wore ship twices. There is an uneasyness in the camp, due to a 2 – 3 metre swell and a 30 kt wind forecast on the nose. Cheers Suze (thanks Davey T. for your help)We’re going to be in for a bumpy time over the next 24 hrs. Staytuned.Andrew
Latitude/Longitude:
Conditions:
Current Situation at 1800: Course 180, Speed 8kts, Wind NE 20kts, Temp 19C, Scattered showers
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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