The Inviting Waters of the Great Barrier Reef!

It is now the end of Day 2, and it is a very worn and weary YC that headed into their night watches this evening. In truenautical fashion, we were awoken at 0630 this morning by the dulcet tones of Red Watch and XO Paige telling us it was time to get up. All members of the Ship’s Company quickly made their way on deck for someearly morning wake up activities, before heading off for showers and breakfast.At 0800 after a hearty breakfast and a refreshing shower, we conducted our first morning brief. This is the time for YC to beinformed of the plan for the day as well as an educational lesson from ‘The Chief’ about the origin of some of the unique nauticallingo we use (known colloquially as Jackspeak). Following the Morning Brief it was time to commence the busy activities of the day.After giving the Ship a clean, the YC were taken on a tour of the ship by Dutchy and shown all of the safety equipment onboard. The YC then spent the next few hours conducting some line handling and deck safety lessons. They have all been working very hard, learning how to handle the lines, winches and stoppers that may be found onthe upper deck. At 1400, after some sweaty work it was decided that the inviting waters of the great Barrier Reef were just to much to ignore. On advice from XO Paige, the YOUNG ENDEAVOUR Public Swimming Pool was opened. At about 1430 with all the YC safely re-embarked from their refreshing experience, the anchor was weighed and we> proceeded to sea.With the Ship finally getting a breeze over the deck and proceeding into the Great Barrier Reef for the passage to Mackay. Itwas time for the YC to put into practice all the skills they had just learned, and set some sails. Finally the day rounded out just after 1800 with a set of Tacking Drills in which we tested the Youth Crew in their ability to manouevre the ship by use of sails. This is the culminating event of the day, and I am very satisfied that the YC, ifcalled upon, will be quite capable of tacking the Ship through the night should they be called upon to do so.With the Youth Crew now settled back into night watches, they will have a chance to reflect on their achievements today. They will also conduct consolidation training of the sail handling they have learned. It has been a very long day for all involved andparticularly after their very first night watch last night, I am sure that all YC members will sleep well this evening. Nautical Knowledge:Today we encountered one of our colleagues in SOUTH PASSAGE, a Sail Training Ship from Brisbane. On passing us she dipped her Ensign, to which we returned the compliment. Dipping the Ensign is a tradition that goes well back in history to the times when Britannia indisputably ruled the seas. As a mark of respect for a ‘Man O War’, a Merchant Vessel on passing, would lower their Ensign. This mark of respect would then be returned by the ‘Man O War’. The tradition still continues today amongst many Ship’s, and despite the fact YOUNG ENDEAVOUR is not a fully commissioned Ship in the RoyalAustralian Navy, we do fly the Australian White (Naval)Ensign. Thought of the Day: ‘The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong… Hatred can be overcome only by love.’ -Mahandas GhandiMore to Follow,Paul BarrieLEUT, RANActing Commanding Officer